Moving On
by CullenMama2319
Summary: Edward's death sends Bella back to her hometown of Smallville, KS with best friend Clark Kent. In an attempt to move on after losing her love, Bella meets Oliver Queen. What happens when all Bella held true, causes her world to come crashing down? ExB,BxO
1. Nightmares

**Disclaimer: I own nothing and any publicly owned characters and/or plot do not belong to me. I'm just playing with them :)**

**Chapter One: Nightmares**

_It was black as pitch in my tiny stone cellar that I was locked away in. With my newly acquired senses, I could literally see every nook and crevice inside these godforsaken walls. The air tasted salty and stale, causing the bile to rise in my throat, gagging me. It reeked of rotting flesh, and I did my very best to ignore the bodies of innocent humans that had been slaughtered in a cruel attempt to force me to feed off of their blood. I tried and tried to tell them that I didn't crave human blood, but it only fueled their fury even more. I had basically been average in my human life, a little accident prone and unable to walk on my own two feet most of the time. Being turned into a vampire, a huntress, was supposed to make all the difference in the world. Much to my annoyance, I hadn't even gotten THAT right. Only I, wouldn't complete the change correctly. Only I, Bella Cullen, would still be able to sleep at night. Many times I thought it was just a cruel joke, having to grieve through my nightmares. Only I, Bella Cullen wouldn't crave human blood. Not that I minded at all, it's just that it automatically made me different, abnormal. It drew unwanted attention. The Guard was not pleased to hear of my malfunctions, due to the fact that the wanted me as one of their elite members. They decided that they would "cure" me, and that's when the REAL torture began. Guard member after guard member were ordered into my cellar in an effort to break me, but much to their disappointment, were unsuccessful. If I hadn't been half vampire, I most certainly would have died after the first few beatings I took. They would sever a limb, only to repair me and start all over again. If I had been human, every bone in my very frail body would have been shattered, and I would have been black and blue from head to toe. I never cried out. I never gave the bastards the satisfaction. I had no idea how much time had passed, months I'd imagined, and I was on the verge of giving up all hope, when I heard his sweet, velvety voice. At first I thought I was delirious. It couldn't be him. I told him to stay away…..that they would kill him._

_"Let. Me. Have. Her." He growled._

_"Join us or die." Aro wagered._

_"NEVER." He snarled. And that's when it happened. I heard his screams and I knew in my gut that Jane was attacking him. The rage I felt roared within me, and nothing was going to keep me from him. To my surprise, a guard member started to open my cell door and I used the opportunity to slam my body, full force, into him. It was enough to startle him and give me time to escape. I followed the screams down the large stone corridors and came upon gigantic, arched wooden doors. I used what little strength I had left to heave the doors open, and wept at the sight laid out in front of me._

_"Edward…." I gasped. All eyes shot to me, but I didn't acknowledge anyone except him. The love of my life. I threw my shield over him and his violently shaking body immediately calmed. Jane's brutal mind attacks couldn't penetrate my shield, but I knew I had the disadvantage. I had been severely beaten and malnourished for months. I couldn't possibly hold her off for any decent length of time. One of his arms had been ripped off and lay twitching across the room. I started to run to him, but Felix and Demetri stopped me dead in my tracks. Edward hissed at them, but they just laughed their evil laughs. I fought with all my might, kicking, arms flailing, but they were just too strong. They restrained me to the floor, each holding an arm and a leg. It felt like the weight of the world was bearing down on me. I could feel my shield slipping. I tried desperately to hang on._

_"Bella….I love you…." I heard him whisper._

_"No Edward…." I cried out. "Please ….no….." In that instant, my shield gave out and Jane picked up in full force. I saw his other arm being torn from his torso and he cried out in pure agony._

_"Burn him!" Aro ordered, and I watched helplessly as they dragged his body by his beautiful bronze hair, toward a tiny door._

_"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" I screamed. "EDWARD I LOVE YOU! LET HIM GO! PLEASE! TAKE ME INSTEAD!!" The door slammed shut behind them and all I could hear was the sound of crumpling bones and the smell of burning flesh. "EDWAAAAARRRRRDDDDD!!!!"_

* * *

"BELLA! BELLA WAKE UP!" A familiar voice woke me from my own personal hell. My body jolted upright instinctively, taking in my surroundings. "Sshhh….." Esme pulled me close. "It was just another nightmare."

"I….I can't do this anymore….I'm sorry…so sorry…." I sobbed a tearless sob. "I just can't…."

"I know it's hard sweetheart. We're all here for you." She tightened her embrace and gently stroked my hair.

"I can't stay here anymore." I blurted out, not considering how much pain that would cause the entire family.

"Bella Cullen! You're like a daughter to me! I can't lose you too…." She stared at me, panic written all over her motherly face. I felt an immediate pang of guilt.

"I really need to get away. It's just too hard Esme. Everything is a constant reminder here…..everywhere I look….he's there. Even when I'm around all of you….sometimes that's the hardest for me. I miss him so much Esme. A piece of me died with him….and being here, it's like reliving his death everyday of my life. I can't take it." I explained, trying to get a grip on the sobs that were racking my entire body.

"Bella, where will you go?! I'll be worried sick about you! We all will." Esme asked solemnly. I thought for a moment, glancing in the bedroom doorway, only to find my future-seeing-pixie-of-a-sister-in-law.

"Smallville, Kansas?!" Alice quirked an eyebrow. I took a deep breath and nodded. I was going home.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**I know this was a very short chapter, but I needed it this way to get the ball rolling. Let me know what you think!**


	2. Smallville

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Any publicly recognizable characters and/or plot do not belong to me. I'm just playing with them ******

**CHAPTER TWO: SMALLVILLE**

Leaving Forks, Washington had been a million times harder than I had originally anticipated. The Cullen's were a part of my being, and each and every one of them held a special place in my heart. Jasper did his best to send out a wave of calm over his distraught family, but I could see how everyone's emotions were constantly tormenting him. I couldn't imagine how it must feel to bear the burdens of an entire family, let alone deal with _his_ grief. I knew that by leaving, I was at least rescuing one person, and that justified it enough for me. He had his arms wrapped gently around Alice, holding her up trying to comfort her. Leaving Alice behind was excruciatingly painful at the very least. She had almost instantly become my best friend, and I wasn't sure what I was going to do without her. However, I _was _thankful that I didn't have to play dress up with her and Rosalie anymore. Whatever would they do without life-size Bella Barbie?! I actually smirked at the thought. Emmett had pulled me into one of his bone-crushing hugs, nearly asphyxiating me. Thank God I didn't actually have to breathe. He was a hulk of a guy, but he would forever be my teddy bear big brother. He reassured me that he'd always be there whenever I needed him, and I was truly thankful for that. Rosalie hugged me goodbye, which honestly surprised me a bit. She and I hadn't always been on the best terms, seeing as how she hated me when she first met me. She couldn't fathom what Edward had seen in me. I was a "weak, useless human" as she had put it. Edward nearly choked the life out of her for it and I chuckled remembering. Come to find out, Rose had just been jealous that Edward never fawned over her, but once she got to know me, we had some really good times together. Esme hadn't stopped weeping from the instant I told her I was leaving. I loved Esme as a mother. She had an ever-expanding heart of gold and she had an amazing knack for always seeing the good in others. She and Carlisle definitely made the perfect match. It was undeniable that Carlisle was having just as hard a time dealing with Edward's death as I was, seeing as how Edward had been the first that he turned, and they had lived as father and son for over a century. Carlisle gently pulled Esme away, signaling that it was time for me to make my departure. Carlisle walked me to the gate, pausing to grip my shoulders, and he stared lovingly into my eyes.

"Bella…"

"Carlisle don't." I was terrified that if he spoke, my resolve to leave would waiver. He was the closest thing to a father I had after I lost my own father, Charlie, to cancer several years back.

"Please Bella, I need to say this." He pleaded. His eyes were always so honest and sincere, I could never hurt him. I nodded for him to continue. "I want you to know that we all understand why you must go, and that not one of us blames you for Edward's death. It's important to me that you stay in touch, child. You _are _my daughter and if you _ever_ need anything….anything at all, I'll be there. Most importantly, Edward loved you with every fiber of his being, and he would want you to move on and be happy. Bella….._be_ happy…..for Edward, okay?" I was thankful at the moment that I couldn't cry. All I could do was close my eyes and nod. Carlisle pulled me into his fatherly arms and hugged me for dear life.

"I love you Carlisle." My voice was barely a whisper as I pulled away. I took one last glance and my family, turned my back and boarded the plane.

* * *

I gazed around the big red barn reminiscing. I'd never forget all the summers Clark and I had shared growing up as kids and I remembered back to the day I learned his secret. I had come around the back of the Talon Café only to watch Clark pick a car up over his head, lifting it off of another high school friend, Whitney. After that day, he confided in me about _all_ of his abilities, including super speed, strength, x-ray vision (which still creeps me out a bit to this very day), and the ability to shoot fire, say what? Yes fire, out of his eyeballs. As crazy as it seemed at the time, I was absolutely amazed and I vowed that very day to protect his secret with my life if need be. His dad, Jonathan Kent, hadn't been so pleased that I had discovered the truth, but with a little coaxing from his wife Martha, and after a few psycho people tried to kill me for not offering Clark up on a silver platter, Mr. Kent changed his tune. Clark was my best friend since we were in kindergarten, and he was like the big brother I never had. Well, until Emmett came along. I could always count on him, no matter what. I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding, in relief that nothing had changed. It was still the same old barn with a loft that opened up to overlook the entire farm. I smiled when I saw his telescope still sitting in its same spot from all those years ago. Clark used to spend hours showing me the stars and explaining what he knew of his Kryptonian heritage. That was one of the happiest memories from my childhood. I stared out into the brilliant night sky, smiling for the first time in a very long time. I was home.

"Sneaking up on me these days, huh?" I heard one of my favorite, familiar voices. A smile played across my lips, but I didn't turn around.

"….and here I thought it was _impossible _to sneak up on the red-blue blur" I smirked, finally turning to face him. There he was standing, 6'4" tall, muscular, dark brown hair and crystal blue eyes. He had on his traditional red fitted t-shirt, blue jacket and washed out jeans.

"Bella!" He breathed, smiling from ear to ear.

"Clark!" I exclaimed, throwing myself into his outstretched arms. "God I've missed you big brother!"

"Not as much as I've missed you! My life just hasn't been the same without you these past few years." He whispered in my ear, squeezing me into his chest. I reluctantly pulled back to look him in the eyes.

"It seems as though you've been busy Mr. Superhero." I grinned.

"I had to have something to occupy my time. With you gone….and Lana…." He winced. "It just felt like I had lost everything I ever cared about." His eyes were sad.

"Clark….I'm so sorry. After I moved to Forks, I heard briefly about Lana. I can't believe Lex would do that to you." I said softly.

"Well….I never imagined he would turn her into a gigantic piece of human kryptonite." He said, fighting back the tears. "I guess he figured if _he_ couldn't have her, _I_ couldn't either. Lana and I keep in contact through the phone, email and the web….but it's just not the same. After the doctor that was working on a cure for her was assassinated, we pretty much mutually agreed that she and I can never be. It was probably one of the hardest things I've had to go through."

"Oh my….I don't know what to say." I breathed. My heart was breaking in two with grief for my best friend. "I'm so incredibly sorry." He shrugged his shoulders, as if he was willing the sadness to disappear.

"Enough about me. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" He grinned happily.

"Actually, I guess it would have been more polite of me if I had called first. It's not exactly a visit Clark." I looked away before speaking again. "I'm home." He gently turned my chin to look at my eyes.

"Is Edward with you? The last I knew, you guys moved to Italy or something." He asked confused.

"Some terrible things happened Clark." My voice shook, trying to contain the sobs that were threatening to erupt at any given second.

"Are you okay?! Tell me what happened! Did he hurt you?!" He was frantic. He had always liked the Cullen's, but he couldn't help but be leery considering their food preference.

"No. It's nothing like that. Edward was perfect. Always perfect." I whispered. Afraid that if I said his name, my memories would disappear.

"Wait….what do you mean…._was_?" Clark asked pulling me by the arm to sit on his bed. I complied, taking a deep, unnecessary breath before beginning.

"There is a ruling vampire coven in Volterra, Italy called the Volturi. Somehow they caught wind that I knew about the Cullen's true identity. I'm assuming that it was Victoria who tipped them off, after Edward killed her mate, James, for attacking me the summer before I got married…"

"Right. I remember that. She was that psycho red-head." Clark squeezed my hand reassuringly. I nodded.

"Anyway, apparently vampires have laws. Go figure. And the number one rule is that no human can know of their existence without being changed…..or killed." I explained. Clark listened intently, hanging on every word. "One afternoon, their most powerful guard showed up at our home in Forks. They threatened to kill all of the Cullen's, unless I went with them…."

"Oh. My. God…… WHAT did they do to you Bella?!" He asked slowly, attempting to mask his immense anger. I swallowed hard before continuing.

"Of course Edward refused. He would have had his family fight and die for me….but I wouldn't hear of it. I agreed to go willingly, with the promise that my family wouldn't be harmed." I closed my eyes, trying not to lose it. "I spent many months there in Volterra, in the dungeons of Hell." I shuddered involuntarily. "They attempted to change me, but somehow it didn't entirely work. My body still looks and feels relatively human, but I can't cry. Unlike vampires, I still require sleep and I can dream. I acquired the vampire strength, speed and heightened senses, but they were furious that I didn't crave human blood. I can still somehow digest regular human food, but animal blood makes me the strongest." Clark made a "yuck" face and I couldn't help but chuckle. "One day, Edward came for me anyway….." I focused on breathing in and out. In. Out.

"Bella…..oh God. What happened?" He asked nervously, anticipating what was coming.

"I was weak and malnourished. They used two vampirial guards to hold me down while I watched……Clark….I _watched_ them rip him apart before dragging him away to burn him alive." I felt limp and my body slid from the edge of the bed collapsing to the floor. Clark was there instantly, pulling me to him, cradling me, assuring me that it would all be okay. "I couldn't stay with the Cullen's any longer. It was a constant reminder. It was killing me."

"I'm _so_ sorry! If I had known….I could have helped. I….God….I promised I'd always be there for you." He apologized.

"Clark….you _are_ here for me. You are the one person I need to get through this." I whispered. "We've always got each other."

"You're right….and guess what? You're secret's safe with me." He winked.

"Nice." I stuck my tongue out at him. "I'm no man of steel…but nowadays….I could sure give you a run for your money." I half smiled.

"Oh really?!" He raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Well….I'll be looking forward to seeing what you've got……tomorrow. C'mon Sis. Let's get you in the house to your room. You look exhausted."

"Is your mom going to mind that I'm staying here?"

"Nope. She moved to Metropolis. She's a big wig senator these days. So it's just you and me." He grinned. "Like old times."

"Martha?! A senator?!" I gasped.

"I know….crazy, right?"

"Uh…._beyond_ crazy!" I chuckled. "Hey Clark…." He looked at me smiling. "Thanks."

"For what?!"

"For being you." I quickly kissed his cheek and headed off toward the house. I felt like a ton of brick was unloaded off my shoulders. Maybe I would actually get some sleep tonight.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**So tell me what you think? Is it good enough to keep going? ******


	3. Show Me What You're Made Of

**Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing and any recognizable Smallville/Twilight characters belong to their original owners along with any plot similarities :) **

CHAPTER 3: SHOW ME WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF?

I awoke to the familiar sound of Clucky, the Kent family rooster sounding its regular morning alarm, signaling that the day had surely begun. I stretched my tiny body out and sunk down farther into the nice, warm bed, snuggling myself into the soft baby blue comforter. I had only cried out in my sleep once the night before, that I could remember anyway, and Clark had rushed in, always my savior and held me until I fell back asleep. I felt safe in his arms, but it was such a different feeling from the arms that used to hold me each and every night. I glanced at the little wooden bedside table at the picture of Edward and myself in our meadow that had been just a few miles away from our home in Forks. In the picture, Edward stared lovingly into my eyes, and I was totally captivated by him. I always had been, from the moment I had laid eyes on him in that silly high school cafeteria. He just waltzed in, dazzled me with his untamed "sex-hair", charming smile and liquid gold eyes. I never stood a freaking chance. I closed my eyes, took a deep, unnecessary breath, kissed my wedding ring and hopped out of bed. I was bound and determined to make myself useful from now on. Edward's death would not be in vain, I would see to that. I made my way downstairs, still in my flannel pajamas and headed into the kitchen. I could smell bacon, eggs and toast and a smile played across my lips. I peaked around the stairway and glanced in the kitchen and low and behold, Clark was standing at the kitchen counter pouring two glasses of orange juice.

"Awww…..pookie….you shouldn't have…"I smiled teasingly. Clark nearly jumped through the roof.

"Jeez….this whole new "super stealth" you, is sure taking some getting used to!" Clark said holding his hand over his chest, as if to calm his heartbeat. I threw my head back laughing. "Usually people don't get past me like that!"

"Sorry Hun. And the gesture is very sweet by the way." I chuckled, sitting down on the barstool just across the counter from him.

"Good, cause I've been slaving all morning." He teased. "I wasn't sure if you'd like….oh I don't know….a glass of animal blood or orange juice."

"Umm…mountain lion if you've got it." I winked. _Ok, this conversation was getting just a little weird. I could joke about this stuff with the Cullen's, but Clark…not so much. I couldn't very well go into detail about how soothing it felt when the animal's blood coats the back of your burning throat. Nope…..not gonna happen._

"Gross." He pretended to gag. I laughed.

"I promise to eat normal food around you, and I'll save the animals for when I'm alone. Scouts honor." I held up two fingers, then three, then shrugged because I had absolutely no clue what the scout symbol looked like. We both started giggling uncontrollably.

"I've missed you, ya know that?! You crack me up kid." Clark said sliding my plate of food in front of me, as he sat down on the barstool next to me with his own plate.

"I missed you too. So….what's on the agenda for today?!" I asked taking a bite of my toast. It was actually quite good, for toast that is.

"Well…..I've got to do the chores around here, then, I need to run into the Daily Planet. I'm actually a journalist there now and my partner is Lois."

"Lois….._Lane_? You mean…._the_ Lois Lane?" I smirked. He rolled his eyes. "Oh stop it. You know I'm right."

"You're crazy. Lois and I are not meant to be together. Seriously…..she's obnoxious and stubborn…..and overbearing….did I mention obnoxious?" Clark defended, looking like an embarrassed school boy with a crush. I burst out laughing.

"Keep telling yourself that. I don't need Alice's gift of foresight to know that Lois and Clark will make a cute couple someday. Speaking of Alice, I could always ask her you know…." I teased.

"NO!" He exclaimed. "Sorry….no. We don't need to ask Alice. There's nothing going on with Lois and I, and there never will. End of discussion."

"Okay okay. Easy there killer." I smiled smugly. "Anyway….I'll help you with your chores this morning….."

"You don't need to do that…."

"What's the problem big brother…..scared this little lady is going to school you?" I challenged.

"Humph….."He snorted. "Let's see what you're made of….."

Before he could even see my grin, I darted to my room at lightning speed, changed into a pair of jeans and a blue hooded sweatshirt and was standing back in front of him. His eyes were wide.

"Well…what the heck are ya waitin' for?!" I teased. "C'mon slow poke!" I took off out the door and propelled myself as fast as I could go. It felt amazing to run at such speeds and I felt carefree and alive. The wind rushed through my long, curly brown hair and I breathed in, wishing I could bathe in the glorious smell of autumn. I was halfway into the cornfields and I could feel Clark right on my heels. Instantly, he blew past me and stopped several hundred feet away. I came to a halt and chuckled quietly to myself, even though I knew he could hear me. "So I'm not quite the speeding bullet….but hey….whatever works, right?!"

"You're pretty dang fast there missy….." He laughed. "Is that the best you can do?" I ran up to him and stood inches from his face. I grinned just before I picked up his massive body and raised it over my head with one arm like it was a feather.

"How's this?!" I smiled smugly.

"Umm…I guess I don't have to protect you so much anymore, huh Sis?" He said leaping out of my grasp, wide-eyed.

"Nope." I said dramatically, popping the "p". He laughed, ruffling my hair with his hand.

"Well then….c'mon…..we've got chores to do….."

I sighed contentedly and followed after him, back toward the barn. It was good to be home. I missed Edward every second of everyday, with every beat of my aching heart. I knew that the void in my life would never be filled again, but being back in Smallville was like a patch…..a gigantic band-aid. Someday I would find a way to die, when the time was right, and I would be re-united with the love of my existence, but for now, Clark was all I needed. I would put my abilities to good use, just as he had, and start saving the world in Edward's name.

**Chapter End Note: **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! Please?! Pretty please?!! With your favorite Cullen on top?! Haha! Just kidding!! Hope you enjoyed :)**


	4. The Goddess

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I wish I owned Edward…or Oliver….or the "Red Blue Blur" but I certainly do not. Boo :( Oh well…I can still enjoy rearranging their lives! Enjoy!**

CHAPTER 4: THE GODDESS

**OPOV**

"Listen Mercy….I've told you a million times, Queen Industries is NOT interested in a merger with Luthor Corp." I took a sip of my brandy.

"Oh…and exactly what kind of merger _are_ you interested in Oliver?" Tess whispered seductively from behind me. I pretended to inspect my glass intently. I knew exactly what she was up to.

"You poisoned me, didn't you?" I said sarcastically, and couldn't help but chuckle. I head her huff loudly, moving away from me. "Oh wait…..you _drugged_ me then? That's why you called me here….to take advantage of my body?" I smirked.

"In your dreams Oliver." She hissed, walking behind her solid oak desk to sit down. She slammed her drink down, almost shattering the glass.

"Well….I think it's safe to say this meeting is adjourned…." I laughed quietly to myself and stood up, making my way to the office door.

"Don't be stupid Oliver. Just think about it and get back to me." She demanded as I pulled the door closed firmly behind me, ignoring the hateful bitch.

I had absolutely zero intentions of being associated with anything that was owned by Luthor Corp. The son of a bitch, Lex, had my parents killed several years back when they threatened to expose him and his father Lionel for the monsters they truly were. I got the phone call on my way to Paris to visit an old college friend of mine, telling me that my parents were both dead. Lex had been tried in court, but skated out of it on jury's assumption that it was just an engine malfunction that sent my parents private jet crashing into the middle of the fucking Atlantic. By the time my engineers has discovered that the engine had definitely been tampered with, it was too late, and go figure, all the information that my parents had on Luthor Corp……gone. After that, I made it my personal mission to bring Lex Luthor down, but Lex liked to play hardball. Several months ago, we were convinced that Lex learned of Clark's secret, after discovering the Fortress of Solitude, and he disappeared of the face of the planet. In the meantime, it would appear that he made Tess Mercer the head of his company in his absence. Tess Mercer….none other than……my ex. Tess was a confident, commanding woman, who always got what she wanted, but looking back, I guess I should have seen it coming. I mean, she was always seeking power, and the bigger better deal. I just didn't expect her to double cross me and have an affair with my arch enemy. The thought of it pissed me off to no end, and I hadn't realized I was clenching my fists. I pressed the down button on the elevator when I noticed Lois and Clark talking, but what truly got my attention was the amazingly beautiful woman attached to Clark's arm. She had a tiny frame, curves in all the right places, dark curly hair and eyes……well I could have gotten lost in the depths of her golden brown eyes. I immediately wished that it was _my_ arm she was clinging to.

_Wait….was I……jealous? Of Clark?! No way, absolutely not. I mean sure, he's the freakin' Red Blue Blur, but I'm the Green Arrow damn it! That's gotta count for something right?! Well, and the fact that I'm a billionaire. Shit. That sounded ridiculously shallow. _I was pulled from my thoughts by Lois's voice.

"Ollie!! Hey….how'd it go with Tess?! Still in one piece I see!" Lois chuckled. Smart ass. Lois and I had also dated briefly, but we mutually agreed that we made better friends.

"Yeah yeah….she'll have to break out the big guns next time I guess." I smirked, walking towards them, eager to get a closer look at the goddess herself, completely forgetting about the elevator. I nearly stopped dead in my tracks when the mystery woman looked up at me and smiled. "Clark." I nodded acknowledging him. "…and who is this lovely lady?" I kicked up the Oliver charm a notch and took her hand and lightly kissed it. She blushed.

"This….is Bella. Bella, meet Oliver Queen." Clark introduced, eyeing me suspiciously. I pretended to ignore it.

"Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you." I smiled, unable to break eye contact with the angel before me.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Queen." She smiled back, almost causing me heart failure. _Get a grip!_ _She's probably dating someone. Nobody this beautiful is single. Wait…could her and Clark……no….surely not. Well….maybe. Shit! Clark is your friend you idiot! I'd have to tone it down until I knew for sure. _

"Well….it was great to see you Lois, and nice meeting you Oliver. I'd better get going. I have a few other people I want to see before the day is up. Will I see you at home?" She asked Clark. _Home?! What?! Okay…family member? No. No resemblance. Clark would have told me if he was dating, wouldn't he? Well….maybe not. You have been kind of a dick lately. Fuck. I meet the woman of my dreams and she's dating Clark?! Hold. The. Phone. Oliver. Woman of your dreams? Seriously?! You don't even know the first thing about her! You know that her name is Bella and that she's beautiful. BE SERIOUS!!_

"Definitely. Lois and I should be done with the column in a couple of hours. I'll bring something home for us to eat and we can relax tonight. Sound good?" Clark kissed her cheek. She nodded, waved goodbye and headed for the elevators. I hadn't realized that I'd been watching her the entire time, even as the elevators closed.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer." Lois smirked, knowingly and I playfully flipped her off. Clark didn't look too happy with me, which only peaked my curiosity.

"So….uh….you and Bella are close, eh?" I asked nonchalantly. Lois was on to me, I could feel it.

"Yeah. You could say that." Clark answered flatly. My ego deflated.

"That's cool man…..I mean….it just surprised me that you were dating so soon. I mean, after the Lana thing." I instantly regretted bringing that up. I wasn't trying to hurt my friend. He tensed.

"I'm _not_ dating." Clark said with questioning eyes. "…and I don't plan on it for a long time…." Oddly, I thought I saw Lois looking like a kid who lost her puppy, but she quickly masked it. I made a mental note to ask her about it later. "If you _must_ know, Bella is my best friend. She's like a sister to me."

"Oh." Well that was a gigantic relief. _Why hadn't I known about her before this?_ _He never mentioned her before_. "Hey, I'm sorry man. It just looked like you guys were together."

"Look Oliver, you're one of my really good friends, but I saw you checking her out." Clark said sternly.

"Ohhhh hell." Lois mumbled under her breath. "I'm just going to go to…..the ummm….copy room…" she said as she quickly disappeared.

"Hey….I didn't mean to offend anyone. Honestly. I mean, she _is_ very attractive. It's kind of hard not to notice."

"Oliver….I don't know how to say this without sounding like a total jerk, so here goes…..You aren't exactly the ….commitment type of guy. I mean, Bella isn't just some girl that you can flaunt at all your parties and ditch when you get bored." _Wow. The truth freaking hurts._ _Was I really that terrible? Is that how people honestly saw me?_ All I could do was nod my head in understanding. "Look, I know you are an awesome guy, it's just, she's been through a lot, and I won't stand around and watch her get hurt anymore." _Point taken_.

"Well then, I will settle for friendship. After all, anyone worthy of being Clark Kent's BFF, is probably someone everyone should get to know." I grinned. _Friends. I could do that. Couldn't I? What had possibly happened to such an angelic creature like Bella, to cause Clark to be so defensive? I was almost positive I didn't want to find out. I would probably strangle the person that had hurt her._

"Thanks. I mean, just don't pressure her or anything. I saw the way she looked at you too, and I gotta admit, it scares me to death." Clark said sitting down behind his computer. _She "looked" at me too? My heart swelled. God….stop acting like such a girl!_

"No worries dude. I'll be on my best behavior." I grinned. "Catch you guys later." I headed back to the elevator and exited the Daily Planet. I had intended on working on paperwork at the office before heading home to hit the sack early, but I couldn't concentrate. I was exhausted and my thoughts kept racing back to Bella. _You don't even know her last name for Christ sakes! The way her tiny hand felt so perfect in mine….her soft skin….the way it would feel to kiss her….._ Needless to say, I immediately headed home, desperately needing a cold shower and fell asleep on my leather couch, only to dream of her until the rise of the sun the next morning.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**So….what did you think?! Oliver's a mess!! :P Next up….BPOV!!**


	5. Bella Barbie

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners.**

**CHAPTER FIVE: BELLA BARBIE**

**BPOV**

"I still can't believe you're here….back and in the flesh!!" Chloe exclaimed as we sat across from each other on her tiny retro looking couch.

"Yep…..back for good." I smiled.

"I'm just sorry it couldn't be under happier circumstances. I hope you don't mind, but Clark kind of filled in the blanks…" she said hesitantly.

"Actually…I'm glad. It's kind of one of those traumatic, life-altering events that I'd rather not have to keep reliving, ya know?" I said taking a sip of my hazelnut coffee. She nodded. "Enough about me! I wanna know about your wedding!" I said, trying to be the good friend.

"Ahhhh…..Jimmy Olson…..my hunk photographer and love of my life!" She grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Sometime when you can stay longer, I'll show you the wedding photos. There are gobs and gobs of them. It was so beautiful Bella……you'll be shocked at how enchanting and romantic it was. We transformed Clark's old barn into the most amazing chapel ever." She said dreamily, obviously recounting the happiest day of her life.

"Awesome." I half-smiled, thankful that she wasn't really paying much attention to me. Wedding thoughts just took me back to my own wedding day, and it was far too painful. " I wish I could have been there to see the blushing bride, but I was otherwise engaged." I took a deep breath, willing away the bad memories.

"Well….there _is_ one thing you could do to make it up to me…." She grinned devilishly.

"_What_?" I asked, knowing I probably wasn't going to like it.

"Every year, the Daily Planet holds a Fall Ball for its staff members and all the power people in Metropolis and-" I held my hand up to stop her.

"Hold it right there. Fall…_Ball_?" I quirked an eyebrow. She nodded once. "Dancing?!"

"Yes but---"

"Chlooooooooooeeeeeeeeee!!!" I whined.

"Please?!" She gave me her best puppy dog eyes. "C'mon! It'll be so much fun. I'll be there with Jimmy, Lois, Clark, Oliver…."

"Oliver Queen?" I asked, almost annoyed at myself for my own peaked curiosity.

"Yeah, you know him?"

"Ummm….just met him actually." I could feel the blush. Freaking traitorous HUMAN blush!! At that moment, I determined that some higher being really did hate me.

"Well that's….._interesting._" Chloe smirked.

"Yeah….interesting." I mocked. I was trying desperately not to think about him, but seriously. What's a girl to do when a tall, blonde haired, brown-eyed hunk, who looks like he just stepped off the cover of a GQ magazine, kisses your hand? I mean, at first I was in total and complete shock because another man had put his lips on my skin. In that very instant, the way Oliver looked at me, a million emotions flooded my very veins. First and foremost, I had to suppress the primal urge to kiss his beautiful face. _I imagined his lips on mine….on my neck….his hands….stop it!! Get. It. Together._ Shortly thereafter came the gigantic tidal wave of guilt. Guilt about cheating on my dead husband. I had immediately excused myself and left, practically running for the elevators. Once I hit the button to take me to the lobby and the doors closed, I gasped for unnecessary air. _What's wrong with me?! It's just a man. Just like any other man_. That became my new mantra as I had made my way to Chloe's apartment. I could vaguely hear Chloe talking to me and I mumbled an "uh-huh".

"GREAT!! I knew you'd agree!" She exclaimed.

"Wait…huh?!" I said coming out of my stressing thoughts.

"You…my friend….just agreed to go to the Fall Ball with me." She chuckled. "No backing out now missy!" _Well shit_. I smiled sheepishly. I guess I would be seeing Mr. Queen again very soon….and I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that.

* * *

Days Later….

"Stupid dancing…ugh…" I muttered as I made my way up the porch steps. As I was putting the key in the lock, a large package caught my attention. I reached down and picked it up and it read:

**To: Bella Cullen**

**From: Alice Cullen**

I groaned as I made my way into the house. Nobody was home yet, so I made my way up my bedroom and sat down on the bed, mentally preparing myself for the contents of the package. I slowly, almost scared, opened the top of the package, only to pull out a huge box. I removed the tape that was securing the box that was about to bust open, and out poured a sheer black dress. I didn't even bother looking at all the other items, before I whipped out my cell phone and dialed.

"Don't kill me!" The voice chirped without even saying hello.

"MARY ALICE CULLEN!" I said in my most threatening voice.

"Ooooohhhh…..I got the full name treatment. I must have done a good job." She teased. _Ugh! Evil little pixie!_ She knew there was no way in hell I could stay mad at her.

"Damn it Alice……..I miss you." I said softly.

"I know. What's not to miss?!" She chuckled. I rolled my eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me sis!" Downfall of having a see-er in the family.

"Yeah yeah yeah." I muttered.

"…and by the way….I totally miss your face too. So…..tell me….how do you like the dress?!" She practically squealed. I reached over and pulled the dress the rest of the way out of the box and held it up to my body, looking in the full length mirror. It was long, strapless, black, satin form fitting dress with sheer gathers layering all the way to the floor.

"It's really beautiful Alice…..totally unnecessary….but beautiful." I said begrudgingly. I hated admitting that she was right……and sadly…she always was. If I learned anything in this lifetime…it's never bet against the pixie.

"I knew you'd like it. There's a silver sequined purse and some kick ass shoes to match. Also, I threw in some jewelry to accessorize, just in case, but I knew you'd most likely stick to your current pieces." I subconsciously grabbed at my white gold, heart necklace that held the beautiful pearl that Edward and I had found on our honeymoon to Esme Island. He had it made for me before we left to come back home, and I hadn't taken it off since.

"It obviously doesn't matter how many miles I put between us…..you'll still insist on dressing me, huh?" I teased.

"Well….seeing as how the Fall Ball is _tonight_….and you _still_ hadn't picked anything out yet…I think you should be _thanking_ me." She said triumphantly. In truth, she was absolutely right. I had been avoiding the inevitable and in a way, I wasn't really sure what I would have done.

"Fine….I guess I owe you a huge thanks….but don't let it go to your head." I chuckled. "Now, as much as I would love to sit and chat, I need to put all this stuff on and work on my hair. You didn't toss a wig in here did you? That would make things hella easier."

"Bella Cullen…you're a nut." She giggled. "Before I get off of here….." Her tone became serious, alarming me. "I just want to say that tonight I want you to have fun. Embrace your life, and enjoy living it…..and mostly….don't beat yourself up over Edward. He would want you to be happy."

"Alice…..tell me what you saw." I demanded nervously. She was quiet. "Alice please….does this have to do with-"

"….a certain hot blonde with brown eyes? Um…I have no idea what you're talking about." I could feel her smile through the phone.

"Yeah….me either. No idea whatsoever." I rolled my eyes. My heart was fluttering a mile a minute.

"Keep tellin' yourself that." She chuckled. "Just know….Mr. Hottie-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless……well….he likes you too."

"Allllliiiiicccceeee!" I groaned.

"Shutting up now." She laughed. "Talk to ya later. Off to hunt. Toodles." Click. The line was dead. _Crazy. Ass. Pixie. UGH!!!!!!! Now what?!! Obviously something was going to happen at this ball, and now I was more terrified….and dare I say, excited than ever. _I'm not sure how long I stood there staring at the wall, trying to figure out how to move my limbs, but finally I headed to the bathroom to take a shower. This was going to be one long ass night, and I was determined to look drop dead gorgeous.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**The Ball's up next Let me know what ya think!! I know you guys are asking for longer chapters, but I have children and it's hard to focus that long…lol. Enjoy!**


	6. Fall Ball

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners. **

**Also…..for those of you who may have been a bit confused last chapter….yes, I accidentally inserted my own name instead of Bella's on one occasion. I guess it was just wishful thinking :P Anyway, sorry for the confusion and it is corrected now.**

**CHAPTER SIX: FALL BALL**

**BPOV**

"You look gorgeous. Stop fretting." Clark laughed.

"Yeah yeah. You know how I hate all these fancy balls and parties." I grumbled, grabbing my sparkling purse off the kitchen counter.

"Well…..Chloe and Lois are dying to see you all made up." He smiled. I rolled my eyes and twirled my index finger, mouthing the words "woo-hoo".

"C'mon….let's get this over with." I muttered, taking Clark's elbow. He chuckled.

"At least you haven't changed." He smirked. I playfully elbowed him in the ribs and he winced in shock of the pain. "Well…in _most_ ways that is." I stuck my tongue out playfully at him. He was the perfect gentleman and helped me up into his gigantic, red Toyota Tundra truck. We had decided against running there, due to my attire and the need to keep up the human façade in the public eye. Clark climbed in the driver's seat and we headed off to Metropolis for the Daily Planet's Fall Ball Extravaganza.

* * *

"Holy crap Clark….I can't believe all these people." I breathed, looking around, trying to calm down my super-sensitive hearing. It could be insanely nerve-racking sometimes, and it made me wonder briefly how Clark had put up with it all these years. I guess the same way Edward did, reading the minds of everyone within a hundred mile radius. I hated huge crowds, even in my human life. Undeniably, something always happened to draw mass amounts of attention to myself.

"Yeah. It's kind of a huge deal. It's mostly a marketing ploy because all the money of Metropolis is here tonight." Clark grinned, sensing my distress. "No worries Hun. You'll be fine."

"I know I know. The Cullen's used to drag me to stuff like this all the time. Alice never misses a chance to play dress up as you can tell…." I waved my hand along the length of my body.

"Well….you look amazing. I'm going to have to beat the men off of you, I'm sure of it." He teased. Before I could come up with a snarky retort, I was bum rushed.

"Oh. My. God. BELLA!!" Chloe screeched, as her arms wrapped tightly around me. "I'm sooooo glad you made it. You look incredible!"

"Thanks. I promised you…so….I'm here." Lois approached us wearing a bright red dress that showed off her cleavage and boy could that girl pull it off. "Lois." I smiled.

"Hey girl! Glad you came out tonight. You look freakin' HOT!" She took my hand and spun me around to inspect.

"Yeah well….courtesy of Alice Cullen. I could never do this alone." I laughed. "So, Clark's been telling me how you're the most promising journalist out there these days."

"Well, Clark makes for the best sidekick." She smirked. Clark rolled his eyes, and Chloe and I busted up laughing. "C'mon Smallville…..let's show 'em how to dance!" I nudged Clark in Lois's direction. He looked like an uncomfortable teenage boy on prom night and it was absolutely adorable. Nervously he took her hand and she pulled him away to the dance floor, and he glanced back once to give me a dirty look.

"Are they ever gonna go for it? Seriously." I chuckled.

"Hopefully in _this_ lifetime." Chloe agreed, laughing.

"How about a dance, oh wife of mine?!" Jimmy asked, walking towards us, taking Chloe's hand.

"Umm…but Bella-" Chloe started.

"Hey! Go have fun with your husband. You've gotta cherish these moments." I forced a smile.

"Thanks." Chloe took my hand and squeezed it before heading off, arm in arm with her husband. I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding and made my way to the bar. Thank God I could still become intoxicated. I was going to need it tonight. I hopped up on the barstool, sitting my purse on the counter.

"What'll it be Miss?" The bartender asked.

"Captain Morgan and Coke please."

"Kinda early for the hard stuff wouldn't you say?" A smooth male voice said from behind me. If my heart wasn't dead, I'd swear it skipped a beat. He moved to the barstool next to me and sat down. I glanced over and nearly fell off my seat when I realized who was sitting not six inches from me….and let me tell you, that's a feat in itself, startling a vampire.

"Oliver…." I felt my cheeks burst into flames. "Umm…yeah well….it's much needed." I smiled. _Way to go loser. He probably thinks you're the world's biggest moron. Wait…what do I care?_

"I'll have what she's having." He told the bartender.

"So tell me….what's your excuse?" I smirked, eyeing his glass.

"I hate these things. People are superficial and fake. It makes me nauseated." He took a drink.

"Yeah….me too." I agreed.

"So Bella….I didn't get your last name the other day." _Holy. Shit. He actually remembered my name._

"Um…Cullen. Bella Cullen." I answered almost too quickly, chuckling to myself.

"What's so funny?" He grinned.

"Oh….it's just that, I said that far too much like a cheesy rendition of a James Bond movie." I took a big swig of my rum and coke, finishing it off. I motioned to the bartender for another.

"Well…I thought it was pretty cute actually." He smiled a gorgeous, gleaming white smile and I couldn't help but stare. "So tell me, what brings a lovely lady like yourself here this evening? Especially if it makes you unhappy."

"I'm actually here for Clark, Chloe and Lois. I guess wherever they go, I follow." I shrugged.

"Speaking of Clark, I'm gonna have to rough him up a bit for holding out on me about you." I blushed. "So you two are best friends, he tells me?"

"Yep, since we were kids." I smiled, gazing into his eyes. _Gah…..his eyes were amazing. I could definitely stare at them all night. Ugh. Shut up Bella!_

"Well well….seems like Oliver here found the new girl in town already." A snotty female voice pierced through my dreamy thoughts, and I wasn't happy about it. Like I said, it was inevitable that something would always draw attention to me.

"Actually….I'm from here." I turned to face her, smirking. _Oh yeah honey….Bitch Bella's back in town._ She was attractive, tall, thin, and had reddish hair. Judging by her dress, money wasn't an issue. I was usually spot on when it came to judging character, and I didn't like her. Not one fucking bit.

"Oh…I know all about you….Bella Swan." She taunted. I squared my shoulders.

"Obviously you don't know enough." I said dryly. "It's Bella Cullen. I don't believe you and I have ever met." I slammed my drink, knowing damn good and well I was going to need it. _Who the fuck did this bitch think she was?! One flick of the wrist and I'd send her packing down the highway to hell….hmm…no. Tempting as it may be this is a public place Bella. Get it together._

"Tess Mercer."

"Ohhhh….where's my autograph book?!" I said sarcastically and I could have sworn I heard Oliver chuckle but I was too irritated to care. I stood up, moving inches away from her face. "You're reputation precedes you. Let me give you a piece of advice _Tess_….any friend of Lex Luthor….should back the hell away from me." Oliver stood up between us, ready to referee. I laughed internally at the thought of me needing protection, but it was endearing.

"Wow…you've got quite the backbone." She grinned evilly.

"You have _NO_ idea." I said, jaw taught.

"Mercy….that will be enough for one night." Oliver glared, taking my hand. I had barely realized it, not breaking eye contact with Tess, until I had been pulled to the dance floor, and was pressed against him. "Just ignore her. That's what I do." I couldn't think straight, let alone form a coherent sentence, being this close to his strong, muscular body. I took a deep breath, but that only made it worse. He was definitely all man, and a fine specimen at that. _What the hell am I going to do?!?!_

"I've been back in town less than a week and I'm already making enemies. I must be doing something right." I winked, glancing up at him. I was keenly aware of his arms wrapped around my waist, causing my brain and my girlie parts to duke it out. The girlie parts were definitely winning.

"Just be careful alright? Tess really isn't someone to mess with." Oliver said sincerely. _Was he worried about me? What the heck for? He barely knew me._

"It's okay Oliver…..neither am I." I smirked.

"So mysterious. I think I like that." He laughed and I stuck my tongue out at him. "I'm glad your best friend is Clark. He's the greatest person I know."

"Me too. He's the best." I smiled, wondering exactly how much Oliver really knew. I made a mental note to ask Clark later.

"…and another perk, is now I have an excuse to get to know you better." He grinned, flirtatiously. He was absolutely fucking adorable. I hadn't had these feelings for anyone but Edward, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as I stood there wrapped in another man's arms.

"Be careful what you wish for Mr. Queen. This girl comes with lots of baggage." I said sadly. He tipped my chin up and stared into my eyes. I resisted the urge to kiss him.

"Hey….any friend of Clark's, is definitely worth it." He smiled, and I blushed. Yes….again.

"Mind if I cut in?" Clark was now standing next to us, eyeing Oliver and I suspiciously, with a strange look on his face. Oliver untangled his arms from around me and reached over patting Clark's shoulder.

"You really shouldn't have kept this amazing woman a secret for so long Clark, however I can completely understand wanting to keep her all to yourself." Oliver smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back as I snuggled against Clark's side.

"You got me. I just didn't want to share." Clark teased. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah….except I think Mercy's found someone new to prey on." Oliver said irritated.

"Bella, are you okay?! What did she do?" Clark asked worriedly.

"Nothing. That evil bitch doesn't know who she's messing with. I'm a big girl. I can take whatever she's willing to dish out. I promise." I winked and he nodded, just before hugging me. "I think I'm going to step outside and get some fresh air. I'll be right back."

* * *

**OPOV**

"Look Clark…I was just being friendly….I didn't cross any bound-" I tried to redeem myself. _Had I crossed any lines? I certainly wanted too….but I was just saving her from the evil wench. Keep telling yourself that Oliver. You were dying to have her in your arms…..and boy did she feel perfect there._

"It's ok Oliver. Seriously, I'm just thankful you were there when Tess showed up." Clark interrupted me. I nodded.

"Dude…she seriously held her own. I thought there was gonna be a cat fight right here." _Man was Bella gorgeous the way she stood up to Mercy. I was instantly rock hard just thinking about it. Ugh. I disgust myself. _Clark laughed knowingly_. _

"Look….I know I've said this before, just….don't hurt her okay? I won't forgive you." Clark said, instantly protective again.

"I have zero intentions of hurting your friend Clark. Honestly. She's well….different." I chose my words very carefully. I didn't care to piss off the muscle head Kryptonian.

"Wait…what do you mean…_different_?" Clark looked extremely nervous and I wasn't sure why.

"I mean….I feel different around her than other girls. Almost natural. Like the _real _Oliver Queen."

"That's because she's a genuinely good person and she brings out the best in people."

"How come you guys never got together then?" I asked, interested. _I mean seriously, she was always hugging on him and close to him. He couldn't honestly tell me the thought never crossed his mind._

"She's like a sister to me, always has been. It wouldn't have mattered even if I had wanted her, because he heart was stolen long ago anyway." _My mood shifted to pure jealousy. Of course she had someone else. _"Look….she's probably going to hate me if she finds out I told you this, but you need to understand. She was married Oliver, but her husband was murdered a little over a year ago, and some really bad stuff happened to her."

"What?! Oh my god. I never would have….Clark…seriously….I understand now. I won't hurt her. I promise you." I was dumbfounded, shortly after followed the disgust with myself for being even remotely happy that she was actually available. _But was she emotionally available? I mean, that had to be traumatizing. _

"Just don't bring it up okay? If she wants to tell you, she will, in her own time." Clark reinforced. I nodded in agreement. _I would do whatever it took to make this girl happy again. Be careful Oliver. You could get too emotionally involved and get hurt. It doesn't matter. She's worth it. _

* * *

**BPOV**

I was just about to go back inside when I heard a strangled voice scream for help. Panic rose within me when I realized that the voice had come from Lana Lang. I knew that Clark couldn't help her. It could kill him to even be in the same vicinity as her. Before I could even react, my hair blew around in a wild frenzy in the aftermath of Clark breezing past me. It occurred to me that he had heard the scream and realized who it was too. Without stopping to think about the consequences, I moved toward the screams. They were coming from behind the Daily Planet, and as soon as I rounded the corner, I couldn't believe my own eyes. Lana was being held by the throat, probably a good three feet off the ground by the creepiest looking monster…yes I said monster, I had ever seen. Clark lunged for them.

"CLARK NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" I screamed. About that time, Oliver came around the corner, but I knew I couldn't wait. I sprung into action, cover be damned. This was Clark's life we were talking about. As I expected, Clark fell just feet away from Lana writhing in pain from the kryptonite that radiated from her body. I plowed into the creature at full force, knocking him back, causing it to release Lana from its deadly grasp. She collapsed.

"BELLA DON'T!!" Oliver yelled.

"Get Clark back!! NOW!!" I yelled back to Oliver, standing back up. He stared at me in absolute confusion. "NOW!!!!!" The last thing I needed was to worry about his life as well. Oliver looked stunned, but quickly began pulling Clark's hulk of a body back toward the side of the Daily Planet. Being away from Lana almost immediately cured Clark and he leapt up to his feet and stood helplessly watching me stand off with the monster. The creature was every bit of seven feet tall, black, with red eyes. It had spurs sticking out everywhere and it looked absolutely out for blood. I suddenly wished I had hunted today, but I hadn't really felt the need, and this was certainly not anticipated. It approached me, slamming me with brut force into a nearby dumpster, but I quickly jumped up. Oliver tried to get to me, but Clark held him back, knowing it would only cause more damage. The monster turned on Clark, but I immediately put myself between them. I focused all my strength on my shield. I hadn't used it like this since Volterra, but Carlisle had helped me try to harness the power, and teach me to use it. I prayed to the Gods that I could get it right this time. Not only did it protect against the mind attack, but we found that if I was angry enough, or emotional, it was impenetrable. I hadn't told Clark about it, because I hadn't exactly mastered it yet. I felt the seemingly invisible bubble go up around myself, Clark and Oliver. The creature tested the boundaries, and my limits were definitely put to the test.

"Clark! I can't…..hold him off for long….." I strained. "We …have to get him away….from here…." The creature advanced at us again, but once again was unsuccessful. I was getting weaker and weaker. At that moment, Clark hurled himself into the monster with all the force he could muster, and disappeared into the night. I collapsed to the ground and vaguely remember Oliver pulling me into his lap, and began wiping my now bleeding nose. "Lana…." I mumbled. "Is she alright…"

"I'm fine Bella." Lana whispered, now beside me. "I'm so glad Clark has you now. He needs his best friend. I came to warn him about this creature they call Doomsday. It's here to kill him."

"WHAT?!?!? OH MY GOD!!!!" I struggled to my feet. "I HAVE TO FIND HIM!!!" _What the hell had I done?! I might have just sent him off to his death!! I had to get to him. _

_"_I'm fine." Came Clark's voice. I whipped my head around to find him standing a good football field away. I couldn't help it, I ran to him. "What the heck was that thing?!"

"All I really know is that it's not human, it was sent here to destroy you, and somehow Luthor Corp. knows about it." Lana said sadly.

"Well, I just blew him up in an entire nuclear reactor. I'd imagine I won't need to worry about him much anymore." Clark breathed. I squeezed him for dear life.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Lana said quickly. "He said to me just before you guys showed up "That which kills me, makes me stronger". Whatever that means." I really hated the sound of that.

"So….let's track this badass down and get rid of him." Oliver moved to us. I was confused. _What exactly did Oliver think he was going to be able to do about it?_

"It might not be so simple." Chloe's voice rang out from behind us.

"Chloe?" Clark said, confused.

"I'm 99.9% positive that creature called Doomsday, is Davis Bloom." She answered with anguish in her voice.

"You mean…EMT Davis Bloom?!" Oliver asked in disbelief. She nodded.

"Chloe, how long have you known about this?" I could tell Clark was upset, bordering on disappointment that she had kept this secret from him.

"Only a few days. Davis came to me for help. He said he'd been blacking out and when he'd wake up, he was always covered in blood that wasn't his own."

"Why didn't you say something?!?!" Clark and Oliver demanded almost simultaneously. I saw Chloe's face and immediately knew.

"She cares for him…." I barely whispered.

"It's not like that! I just….Davis is my friend." She cried. "We have to help him!"

"Shhhh…Chloe it's okay." I pulled her to me. "This must be awful for you. We'll figure this out, I promise." She sobbed into my chest. I looked to Clark, signaling for him to drop it for the moment.

"Lana…are you alright?!" Clark asked from a distance. We all moved away to give them some privacy.

"Chloe…you better compose yourself and get back to Jimmy and Lois, or they'll be suspicious." I hugged her just before she walked away. I stared nervously at the ground.

"You're secret's safe with me you know." Oliver said softly. "I promise."

"Oliver, I-"

"You don't have to explain anything to me." He countered.

"But I think I want to…"I whispered. I hadn't confided in anyone but the Cullen's and Clark in so long, I wasn't sure I even knew how anymore.

"Then save it for dinner tomorrow night. I need another excuse to see you again." He grinned. My legs turned to mush.

"Dinner….."I pondered. Could I do this? Could I actually spend time like this with another man? Alice told me to be happy. I took a deep breath.

"As friends of course." He quickly amended and I smiled thankfully.

"Sure. I would love to go to dinner with you as friends." I said triumphantly.

"Great….I'll pick you up at 7:30pm." I didn't think it was possible for the smile on his face to get any bigger, but it did. I didn't realize how close we suddenly were until my lips of their own accord leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight Oliver…." I said softly before taking off at lightning speed toward home. It didn't matter what he knew about me now, he already knew too much….and somehow I couldn't bring myself to care.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! This was a long chapter as requested. Please let me know what you think!! Enjoy!**


	7. Friendly Date: Part 1

**Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing. All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners.**

**CHAPTER 7: FRIENDLY DATE: PART 1**

"Is Lana okay?" I asked plopping down on the couch beside Clark.

"Yeah, she's fine." He answered softly.

"Are _you_ okay?" I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine. It's just miserable seeing her and not being able to go near her. It's tough." He glanced over at me. "What about you and Oliver? You guys looked cozy."

"Umm…he actually asked me to dinner tomorrow night…."

"He did w_hat_?!" He asked in a fatherly tone.

"Woah woah woah….don't get your red and blue panties all twisted." I said quickly. "We're going as friends."

"Really? So you agreed then?" I couldn't quite gauge his reaction. It bordered along, lighting Oliver on fire with his flaming eyeballs.

"Yes actually. I think it might be kind of nice to make some more friends around here since I'm back for good, and Oliver seems nice enough. By the way….how much does he know about you?"

"Everything." He stated simply. I nodded in understanding. Obviously Clark trusted him with his secret, so I should be okay going to dinner with the poor guy, I thought. "Just be careful alright?"

"No worries Superman." I smiled, leaning in the give him a quick peck on the cheek.

"_Superman_?" He looked at me questioningly.

"Hmm….yeah. I kinda like it…." I grinned. "G'night Clark. Love ya!"

* * *

The next morning I was bored, so I got up around 10a.m., got ready and headed into the Daily Planet to see what Clark was up to. I made my way inside, moving past the rush of people and finally spotted Lois and Clark huddled together over a computer. I couldn't help the smirk that washed over my face.

"So you're telling me there's not a single bit of info on Davis Bloom?!" Frustration was radiating off of Clark like a tidal wave.

"Hey you guys….how's the Daily Duo fairing today?" I teased.

"Well….Mr. Uptight here, is freaking out about Davis Bloom. I mean, sure he's been missing for 48 hours, but sheesh. We'll find him." Sarcasm dripped from Lois's voice.

"Missing huh?" I looked to Clark. He nodded. "Interesting."

"Yeah…but did anyone stop to think that he might just need a vacay from saving lives?" Lois advocated.

"You know what Lois, you're probably right. How about I run to the hospital and see what I can find out? It couldn't hurt." I suggested to Clark. He mouthed the words "thank you" and I winked at him.

"Suit yourself. The poor guy probably just needed some space after Chloe and Jimmy's wedding." Lois added. "Seriously, was everyone completely oblivious that he was in love with her?"

"Wait…..what are you talking about?!" Clark exclaimed.

"Oh c'mon Smallville! He was infatuated with her!" Lois rolled her eyes.

"Men!" I agreed teasingly, winking again at Clark. "They never seem to notice that kind of stuff."

"Totally." Lois said glancing at Clark with gah-gah eyes. She hadn't intended for me to notice, causing her to blush. I smiled at her knowingly and her eyes darted away. I chuckled quietly to myself. _Love struck pansies_.

"Well…I'm free today, so I'll see what I can dig up at MetroWest Hospital….and I'll check up on Chloe." I added so that only Clark's ears could hear. Just then my cell phone rang, but I didn't recognize the number. I decided to answer anyway, thinking it could be one of the Cullen's.

"Bella?"

"Oliver?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah…umm, don't freak out but, being rich kind of has its perks when it comes to locating people. I'm not one of those freak stalker-ish types so don't worry." He said nervously. I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Is that so?!" I teased. "Well….unless you're calling to cancel on me Mr. Queen, I'll be seeing you this evening."

"Definitely not cancelling. I wanted to make sure it was still cool with you….and admittedly….I felt the urge to hear your voice." He said softly, causing me to blush. _Why in the hell did this boy have this effect on me?! Ugh!_

"Seven-thirty is perfect. I will see you then Mr. Stalker." I grinned, gently biting my lower lip.

"Nice. I see what kind of impression I've made." He chuckled. "See you then." I hung up the phone.

"Getting' cozy with Ollie, eh?" Lois grinned cheekily. Clark glanced over at me like a father would his teenage daughter on her first date.

"Oh stop it. It's _just_ dinner." I hissed.

"FYI….I've been down the roller coaster named Oliver Queen and trust me when I say …..He _NEVER_ calls the girl. _Ever_." Lois smirked. _Hmm…that's interesting._

"We're just newly acquainted friends. I swear it you two. I barely even know him and I just lost my husband for Christ sakes." I felt my face flushing redder by the second.

"Friends." Clark reiterated.

"Sure. She may have lost her husband, and it's a tragic thing, but that doesn't mean she isn't capable of feeling…." Lois muttered under her breath. Had I not had super hearing, I probably wouldn't have caught it.

"Maybe the two of _you_ should take a closer look at what's in _front_ of you, and butt out of my crazy relationship status issues." I shot back smugly, walking out the door.

* * *

"Excuse me miss….I was wondering if my old friend Davis Bloom was working today?" I asked sweetly.

"Umm…EMT, right?" The little blonde girl in pink scrubs asked. I nodded. "He's not here today."

"Is there anyway you can find out when he does work? I haven't seen him in ages and I want to surprise him." I fake smiled. Thank God for vampire charm because I was a terrible liar. She stood up, walked into a tiny office behind her, and came back a minute or so later.

"My boss said she isn't sure. He didn't show up for work the past two days. No call, no show." _Hmmm….well that ruled out vacation and sick time. Freaking great._

"Thank you." I replied and headed toward the elevators. The doors opened and to my surprise, Chloe stepped off. "Chloe! Just the person I was headed to look for. What are you doing here?"

"I was just stopping by to drop these off…" She held up a bouquet of daisies and wildflowers. "They're for one of my ISIS kid's mom. She had to have a kidney transplant. What about you? Is everyone okay?"

"Everyone's fine. I was actually just looking up this Davis Bloom character."

"Oh. Um…what for?" She asked.

"You know _exactly_ what for Chloe….and I was making sure you were safe for Clark." I said matter-of-factly. _Was she protecting Davis? She was definitely keeping something hidden._

"Me?! Why wouldn't I be safe?!"

"Something about this Davis guy being obsessed with you." I answered.

"Oh God…." She whispered, covering her mouth with her hand. "You don't think…."

"I don't know what this guy's intentions are. All I know is that if he really is Doomsday or whatever, you need to be careful." I explained. She gasped for air. "Chloe, I'm not stupid. What is it you aren't saying?" Her eyes began intently staring at her shoelaces. "Seriously Chloe."

"Davis kissed me." She blurted out. "Right before my wedding. He said that it didn't matter that I was getting married, he'd wait for me forever. I told him that I loved Jimmy and all I could offer was friendship. He got this crazy glare and it scared me to death."

"Oh my God Chloe. Why didn't you say something to Clark?" I questioned. This seemed far more serious than originally anticipated.

"Because….you know me….curiosity got the better of me, so I looked him up. I hacked into Luthor Corp. and came across a disturbing video." I urged her to continue. "It was a video of Davis being blown to bits inside a car. The very next day….he was alive and well without a scratch on him." She shuddered in remembrance.

"That which kills him makes him stronger." I said, barely a whisper. "That's what he told Lana."

"I'm afraid he's indestructible." Fear and worry were evident in Chloe's voice. "Bella…what if he kills Clark?! I can't….I can't think about that!"

"Hey." I grabbed her shoulders firmly. "That's not going to happen. Not on my watch. We'll figure something out. Between Lana, you, Oliver and I, we'll figure out how to handle this thing. You have my number right?" She nodded. "Call me if you need me, alright? And find out what you can for me. We need to know where Davis came from and his weaknesses."

"K. I'll get right on it. Thanks Bella. I really missed you."

"I missed you too."

* * *

I had just finished curling my hair and applying my neutral-toned make-up. After much deliberation, I had finally decided on a simple, soft baby pink dress that had a matching warm cover-up to go with it. I heard my cell chirp, and I opened it to reveal a simple text message from the pixie herself.

_Have fun. Be safe. Enjoy yourself for Edward 3 __Alice_

I took a deep, calming breath, and shut my phone. I heard a knock at the door and Clark answered it. Of course Clark was playing overprotective big brother, but it was pretty adorable. I made my way downstairs and they both stopped talking, focusing on me. Oliver's breathing hitched and I couldn't help but smile.

"Bella…you look…..wow!" Oliver said, eyeing me up and down subconsciously. Clark nudged him in the ribs but he didn't take his eyes off of me.

"Thank you. You look handsome as always." I said, earning a sexy grin. "Shall we?" I asked. He held out his elbow and I took it.

"Absolutely." Oliver grinned.

"What time will you be home?" Clark asked quickly. _Okay….overprotective big brother going overboard…._

"Clark Kent…I'm a grown woman." I smirked. "You don't have to wait up, k? Love you!" I leaned over and kissed his cheek. We turned and walked out the door and climbed in the Queen Industries private limo. "Sorry about the big brother syndrome back there."

"I think it's nice that the muscle head looks out for you." He winked.

"Yeah. He's really great." I smiled, relaxing back into the seat.

"So tell me more about yourself. I want to know all there is to know about Bella Cullen." His sincerity was genuine and I was grateful for that.

"I'm afraid if I tell you what I am, I'll send you screaming for the hills." I said nervously. People didn't exactly become amiable after they found out you were a vampire. I didn't expect the topic to come up so quickly. _Might as well turn the limo around now. Date's over._

"I highly doubt that, but you don't have to tell me if you're uncomfortable." He protested gently.

"I wasn't always like this…." I spoke slowly. "…and I'm not like Clark."

"Trust me when I say, nothing you could tell me would scare me off. Especially after seeing what you did last night to protect the people you care about." He said honestly. I felt compelled to just blurt it out, but I glanced at the glass between the limo driver and us. "Sound proof." He answered, understanding my concern.

"Well….since you're _sooooo_ sure that I can't scare you away…..Oliver, you're sitting next to a hybrid vampire in the backseat of your limo."

"C'mon. You'll have to do better than that!" He cracked up, throwing his head back. When I didn't laugh, he understood. "Oh…..umm…" He cleared his throat. _Was he afraid? No…I don't think so. His temperature is still the same and his heart rate didn't change. Strange._

"Don't worry. I'm defective really. I'm only half dead, and I don't crave human blood, only animals." I said trying to recover. I watched him for signs of screaming, panic, pissing down both legs, but got nothing.

"Well…that's a relief!" He chuckled, causing a smile to creep across my face.

"I have all the perks of being a vampire, without all the negatives. Unless you count the need to sleep as a negative but, basically I'm human with super speed, strength and hearing. I can't cry, but I blush furiously which I hate, and I'm never going to age. Then there's the business of my shield, but that's work in progress…" I rambled nervously.

"How did this happen? I mean….how did you get mixed up with….vampires? Jesus…that's weird to say, since I had no idea they even existed outside of horror movies." He shook his head, almost in disbelief.

"They're everywhere Oliver. You'd never believe how many have probably thought about making you a meal. My husband was a vampire." I explained.

"You're husband did this?"

"No no. It's a really long story, but in a nutshell, there's a vampire coven in Italy called the Volturi. They forced me to go with them or they were going to kill my family. I went to protect them, the Volturi tried to change me, but it didn't work out quite right. My husband Edward came for me, but they killed him. I couldn't save him, my shield wasn't strong enough." Oliver gently cupped my cheek in his hand, tilting my chin up to look me in the eyes.

"Hey….listen to me. You can't blame yourself. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that bad things happen to good people. We just have to make sure that we rise to the occasion."

"Thanks." I smiled softly.

"So…do all vampires have shields or whatever?" I almost chuckled at his boyish curiosity.

"From what I understand, no. My sister-in-law Alice can see the future, and her husband Jasper can control emotions. Edward could read minds. All but mine anyway."

"Why is that?"

"Supposedly because I'm a shield. I block out mental invasions and now physical ones temporarily. It really used to frustrate Edward. The one person he desperately wanted to hear, he couldn't." I said softly. "I'm sorry, I won't talk about him all night, I swear."

"Bella…." He took my hand. "You talk about him as much as you want or need. He was a huge part of your life. I'm not bothered by it at all. I can't imagine what you've been through."

"Oliver…you have no idea what that means to me. Alice assures me that I'll move on…but I can't forget him. I won't do that for someone else. I am who I am today because of the love and devotion Edward Cullen showed me. I can only hope to ever find _half_ of a love like that again in this lifetime."

"Well….I believe that you are a person who naturally attracts people. I think that you are meant for great things and I feel thankful to have met you." He grinned. All I could think about in that moment was attacking his lips with mine. _Friends, Bella! __F-R-I-E-N-D-S!!_

"Likewise." I blushed wildly. It didn't take long before arriving at the restaurant. I took a deep breath, thankful this evening was going far better than I ever could have hoped. I really was thankful for stumbling across Oliver Queen, and I had every intention of getting to know the blonde-haired cutie better. Much better.

**Chapter End Notes:**

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	8. Friendly Date: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners.**

**CHAPTER 8: FRIENDLY DATE: PART 2**

"Good evening Mr. Queen, Mrs. Cullen. Right this way…" The petite, red headed hostess greeted us and walked us to our table. I breathed deeply when she took us to a private balcony that was encased in glass, overlooking a lake and gorgeous night sky.

"Oliver….this is…beautiful! Thank you for bringing me here." I gazed out of the glass, mesmerized by the view.

"I'm glad you like it. It took me a long time to decide where to take you." Oliver smiled. "However, I must admit, I'm feeling a little stupid for bringing you to a restaurant after-"

"I'm able to eat real food, so stop fretting." I smiled. "Defective, remember?" I pointed to myself. He chuckled softly and visibly relaxed. "….besides…this place is perfect. I can't believe you'd waste such precious time on little ol' me." I winked.

"Ahhh…but it was worth the smile." He grinned. _Oh he was good_.

"So you tell me….what's the mystery behind Oliver Queen?"

"Hmm…you mean you haven't read the tabloids?" He laughed sarcastically.

"I don't believe that garbage." I smirked. "I think there's more to you than meets the eye, quite frankly."

"Well, all the world really sees is Oliver the billionaire, the party boy and his many women." He looked down, obviously embarrassed.

"It's okay Oliver. People change, we grow. I understand." I reached out and took his hand, reassuring him. It felt good to have contact like this. He looked up.

"You're right. There is more to me than meets the eye. Maybe if I don't frighten you off during dinner, you'll give me the opportunity to show you a little bit about who I am." His thumb was absently-mindedly tracing circles on the top of my hand.

"I'd like that." I smiled. The waitress entered and took our orders. It didn't take long for the food to arrive and we made easy conversation while we ate. "Ugh. I'm stuffed." I chuckled as we walked back to the limo. "That dessert was orgasmic."

"Well…I'm glad you enjoyed it." He laughed, and I swore I saw him blush. "Shall I take you home, or can I keep you a bit longer?"

"I'd love to hang out with you. I really enjoy your company." _Did I just freaking admit that out loud? Holy. Hell. _

"Awesome." He grinned. We arrived at his ridiculously gigantic mansion and he led me in through the front. The entryway was marble flooring and had a massive staircase rivaling the one from the R.M.S. Titanic. Esme would have been in heaven.

"I bet there are all kinds of crazy things to do in this house." I teased.

"You name it, I've got it….or I can most definitely get it." I didn't doubt that for a second. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?' I asked nervously. He had brought me to his home; surely we weren't going to his bedroom. I didn't think I had given that kind of impression. He must have read the panic on my face.

"Relax. I'm not trying to seduce you." He chuckled, waggling his eyebrows. I playfully punched him in the shoulder, making sure to watch my strength. I didn't want to break his gorgeous body. "There's something I would like for you to see."

"Lead on." I winked. I followed him into the beautiful, modern castle and admired several pieces of artwork on the walls. I couldn't help but think how Edward would have loved them. We walked into a room that I presumed was his office. He made his way to his mahogany desk, typed in a code on a keypad and his desk drawer opened. He entered another code in that drawer and pressed a green button. Instantly, the opposite wall opened up into another tiny room with stairs. I raised a questioning eyebrow. He held out his hand for me to take.

"Do you trust me?" He grinned.

"Hmm…we just met…but Clark trusts you _and_ he knows I'm with you, but…" I teased.

"Are you coming or what?!" He laughed.

"Fine, fine….but don't force me or anything….sheesh." I laughed, taking his hand. I was getting used to the contact, and I couldn't decide if I should like it, or be terrified. Finally at the bottom step, he turned the lights on and an enormous underground room lit up. I glanced around taking in the sight before me. "What is this…?" My eyes came to rest on a glass case containing a green hooded suit with a bow and arrow "Oh. My. God….you have GOT to be kidding me?!"

"Hey now!! You're murdering my ego here!!" He feigned being insulted.

"NO NO!! I just meant that….well every person I ever meet has some crazy alter ego. I just wasn't expecting you to be the Green Arrow is all." I tried to recover, but I wasn't sure if it was working.

"Oh? And why is that so hard to believe?" He laughed quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. I briefly considered busting out a back hoe and burying myself before I even got started.

"I don't know….I mean….you're rich and cute. Why would you need to risk your life for the world?" I asked.

"You think I'm cute?!" He grinned devilishly from ear to ear.

"Oliver!" I hissed, my cheeks flushing crimson.

"Like….sexy cute…or kid cute?!" He asked flirtatiously.

"I'm sure you already know that answer Mr. Queen." I rolled my eyes. "I'm really sorry you had to find out about me the way you did yesterday."

"Hey…you were saving your friends. All I am is a guy with the power of technology and my own personal gym, but you and Clark, you're real." He whispered softly.

"Green Arrow is just a real as the Blur….or even hybrid vampires." I said proudly. "But what inspired you to create the Arrow? It must have been difficult to do."

"After Lex had my parents murdered I-"

"WHAT?!" I gasped. "Lex did that to you?!" He nodded. "I'm so sorry Oliver…I promise you….I _will_ rid the world of him. He's always after Clark and now you. He hurts good people, and I won't stand for it."

"Yeah…Lex is bad in the worst kind of way. He disappeared last fall after finding the fortress and—"

"Wait…..say what?! I didn't know any of this! He found the freaking Fortress of Solitude?!" I put my hands on my temples trying to ease the stinging of this new information.

"Maybe I should let Clark tell you the rest." He said hesitantly.

"Please tell me Oliver. He may be amazing, but he's stubborn and pig headed sometimes. I need to know in case he ever needs my help." I insisted.

"Lex found the Fortress by using one of Clark's crystals. We aren't sure what happened, but the Fortress collapsed and Lex disappeared seemingly into thin air. There were no traces of him. Tess took over Luthor Corp. to continue the bastards work. He's still out there, I can feel it…..and worst of all, he knows Clark's secret."

"SHIT!! Shit shit shit!! This is NOT good." I hissed, and slowly began pacing the floor.

"That's what I keep trying to tell Clark, but he insists he has it under control." Oliver agreed.

"Yeah…just like that Doomsday…whatever." I shook my head irritated. "I'm so glad I came back. The world needs Clark, and I can't let his stubbornness get him killed!"

"Well, I'll help anyway that I can. Clark is a good friend of mine, and I agree…the world needs the "Red Blue Blur"!" Oliver grinned.

"I've really gotta get him a new alias." I laughed. "Something way cooler than the _Green Arrow_!" I winked.

"You're killing me!" He busted up laughing. I loved hearing his laughter. I could listen to it all day long.

"I'm just teasing." I bit my lower lip. "I happen to think that the Green Arrow is a pretty selfless, decent and caring guy. Anyone would be lucky to know him."

"Wow…I…." It was his turn to be flustered. Adorable.

"I guess I'd better get going. I need to get home and check on Clark." I said softly.

"Is it okay if I call you tomorrow? If you're getting sick of me you can tell me....I just….feel so comfortable around you and—"

"Oliver, you're pretty cute when you're nervous. Of course you can call me. Anytime." I chuckled.

"That's sexy cute, right?" He leaned in waiting for me to shove him, which I playfully did and we laughed together. As our giggling died down, I leaned in to give him a hug without thinking. It just felt natural and safe, a cross between Clark's protective and brotherly hugs, and Edward's lover and romantic hugs. His strong arms embraced me and I relaxed. Finally, I pulled back.

"Thanks for being so sweet Oliver, and a good friend to Clark. I really appreciate that."

"It's easy to do when you're around good people." He winked. We made our way back to the front entrance and Oliver tried to convince me to let him take me home. I explained that it would be faster and far more efficient if I ran. Plus I wanted to hunt, but I wasn't going to tell him that. We'd had too great of an evening for me to spoil it by revealing the true monster I was.

"It was a really great night Oliver. Thanks again and goodnight."

"Goodnight Bella." I smiled and darted off, heading for the woods.

* * *

"Thought I told you not to wait up?" I grinned walking into the living room to find Clark on the couch.

"Couldn't sleep. How'd your non-date go? Where'd he take you?" He glanced up at me.

"We went to this awesome little Italian restaurant, and then he took me to his place and—"

"He actually took you back to his place? I'm gonna—" Clark practically growled.

"Zip it right there buddy. It's not what you think." I clarified and he just rolled his eyes disbelieving. "He took me there to show me who he really was."

"Really? I'm….surprised. He's never told anyone except the Justice League." Clark said, now curious.

"Justice League?"

"He has a group working to find Lex." Clark explained. "They all have abilities as well."

"Ahh….about Lex. Clark…I know he knows your secret and—"

"OLIVER!" He shouted, momentarily startling me. "I knew I shouldn't—"

"CLARK KENT SHUT YOUR MOUTH THIS INSTANT!" I raised my voice. He stood up and stared down at my petite frame in disbelief. "Oliver wasn't going to tell me. He assumed I knew that Lex disappeared, but I forced him to tell me the rest. It's not his fault." I defended. Clark took a deep breath. "Why didn't _you_ tell me?!"

"I didn't want you to worry. Especially now, with everything that's happened to you." He looked down, afraid I was disappointed in him.

"Clark, some bad things happened to me, yes….but I'm still standing. Edward wouldn't want me to wallow in self pity. By me living and helping others, I'm living on in his memory. I think everything happens for a reason. Maybe I was always destined to have these abilities so that I could protect you Clark. I won't let Lex Luthor hurt you." I took his hand in mine.

"Lex isn't going to hurt me, but thank you. I just don't want you getting hurt is all." He gently kissed my hand.

"Clark…I listened as the love of my life died in the next room. There's nothing Lex or Tess or anyone else could do to me that would be more painful than that _except _take you from me. Do you understand?" I whispered softly.

"I do. I'm sorry." He nodded.

"No more secrets Superman." I stood up and hugged him for dear life. "By the way, I told Oliver I was going to find you an alias cooler than his. I think Superman is it."

"It's starting to grow on me." He winked. "G'night sis!"

"G'night Clark." Surprisingly that night, my nightmares never came. I was washed away into a dreamless sleep and relaxed into the comfort of Oliver Queen.

**Chapter End Notes:**

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	9. Fortune Cookies & Confessions

**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing. Any publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners. I'm just enjoying playing with them!! :-)**

**CHAPTER 9: FORTUNE COOKIES & CONFESSIONS**

After several days without a reappearance of Doomsday, aka Davis Bloom, everyone's nerves began to calm down a bit. Oliver and I had chatted briefly on the phone each day, but he was swamped with the family business and I had taken it upon myself to patrol the streets of Metropolis even though Clark had been merciless at trying to convince me otherwise. I was unpleasantly surprised at the actual crime rate and couldn't believe how many really psycho people there were in this world. Murderers, rapists, drug lords. Ugh. It was truly disgusting. I was on my way home for the day at around 7:20pm when my cell phone rang. I was more than ecstatic to see Oliver's name on the caller id.

"You rang?" I answered laughing.

"Hey!! What are you up to?" He chuckled.

"Just heading home. What's up?"

"Well…I was wondering if you might wanna come hang out? Watch a movie or somethin'?" He suggested.

"Actually, that sounds great. I haven't relaxed and watched a film in ages. I'll be there in just a few minutes." I tried to contain my excitement at getting to spend time with him.

"Great! See you soon!" He hung up and I ran; faster than I thought was possible to his house. I made it there in three minutes tops, and he was standing in the doorway waiting for me in a pair of Ralph Lauren flannel pants and a white fitted t-shirt. _Damn was that man sexy as hell_! _Cut it out Bella! Geez! _I looked down at my dress pants and top and realized I should have gone home to change first.

"Man…..pj's are my favorite! Maybe I should run home and change." I suggested. Before I knew it, he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.

"You can borrow mine. Just a sec." He disappeared up the stairs and came back a minute later with another pair of flannels and t-shirt, only this one was black.

"Thanks." A ridiculous grin crept across my face that I couldn't contain. He pointed me to the guest bathroom, probably one of the twenty in the house, and I changed quickly. When I came out, I didn't see Oliver anywhere, so I followed the noises into the kitchen. "We match." I smiled playfully, eyeing him behind the kitchen counter.

"You look much better in my clothes than I do, I must say." He waggled his eyebrows, playfully. It sort of reminded me of Emmett's playful banter. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Umm…water's fine. Thanks."

"Okay, do you want tap, bottled, or ice? And if you want ice….crushed, cubed, boats…."

"Oliver….OLIVER." I said, finally getting his attention. He looked up. "Bottled is fine. I don't want you to slave away over water." I laughed.

"Bottled it is." He laughed with me. "Sorry, Mercy was a very particular person. Forced habit I guess."

"Mercy?! You mean….you and Tess?" I was more than shocked. _How could he have gotten mixed up with that bitch?!_

"Unfortunately….yes. I had fallen for Tess long before I knew of her relations with Lex. About two years ago she left me abruptly without warning, and then reappeared a year later running the Luthor empire. I was devastated. I had never felt so betrayed in my entire life. She now works for the man who killed my parents, and for all I know, she could have been in on it. Every time I see her it's like she twists the knife a little more." He explained, anguish distinct in his voice.

"Wow. Oliver….I'm so sorry. I had no idea." I moved to him and hugged him. I hadn't realized how much I actually missed him over the past couple of days. "I wish I could help you."

"You help me every second that I'm near you." He whispered. "I'm sorry if that sounds cheesy or crazy….it's just…you inspire me again."

"I'm glad I can help, and no, it's not crazy. You help me too." I smiled softly, gazing up at him.

"Good. Maybe we can help heal each other."

"I'd really like that." Pink stained my cheeks traitorously. I felt like my heart was playing a giant game of tug-o-war. My love and loyalty to Edward on one side, and the newfound spark of interest in Oliver on the other. I had no idea what to do, but I was certain of two things. One, Edward wasn't coming back to me this time, no matter how much I hoped and prayed for it, and two, I loved Oliver's company. He was just what I needed right now.

"So…what would you like to watch?" He asked, bringing me out of my current state of confusion.

"How about a scary movie? I was always a sucker for them when I was human."

"I just got _Haunting in Connecticut_?" He asked.

"Perfect. That guy's a hottie anyway." I teased.

"Nice." He rolled his eyes playfully. "C'mon….the theater's this way."

"Theater?"

"You'll see." He smiled smugly. We walked down a long hallway and entered a dark room. All of a sudden, an entire wall lit up. It was literally a movie screen probably bigger than an IMAX.

"HOLY SHIT!" I exclaimed, immediately covering my gaping mouth, warding off anymore obscenities. "You weren't kidding."

"Now….we can sit in traditional stadium seating, or there's actual furniture." He asked as if it were no big deal.

"Umm…furniture I guess." I glanced around the room trying to figure out exactly how that might happen.

"Okay….back up just a bit." I did as he asked, and he pressed a button on the wall. The stadium seats began folding up and disappeared into the floor, only to be replaced with an enormous tan suede couch, two lazy boy recliners and a stone coffee table. "Alright, have a seat and enjoy the show." He grinned proudly.

"I don't even have the words……" I said astonished, taking a seat on the couch. "I need a blanket. Can't watch a scary movie without one." I blushed.

"The vampire needs a blanket, huh?" He joked, pulling out a white down blanket out of a tiny closet at the back of the room.

"Hey….old habits die hard. I wasn't always a hybrid you know." I stuck my tongue out at him. He handed me the blanket and sat down beside me. I snuggled under the blanket and the movie started. During the movie, I had been so caught up in the plot that I hadn't realized I'd inched my way closer and closer to Oliver. Finally, a ghost face flashed in a mirror and I jumped, let out a squeak and ducked my head into Oliver's chest. Apparently scary movies still had the same effect on me as my human days. _Annoying_. At first I was embarrassed, but he didn't seem to mind at all. He snaked his arm around me and I snuggled into his side. I breathed in his scent, savoring his manly…Oliver smell. It was absolutely relaxing. I felt him gently running his fingers through my hair and my body calmed. At some point we must have drifted off to sleep.

* * *

I awoke around 8am the next morning, laying down on the couch with my nose pressed into Oliver's chest, and all of our limbs were tangled together. He looked so cute in his slumber that I was tempted to stay there forever staring. It felt strange, yet comfortable to be wrapped in the strength of his arms, but I knew I had to get home or Clark would throw one hell of a Kryptonian fit. I carefully wriggled my way out of his arms, thankful for my vampire stealthy-ness and tucked him back under the blanket. I grabbed a pen and paper from my purse and scratched a note on it.

**Oliver-**

**Thanks for the movie….and well…the strong arms**

**and body heat. Had a great time. Had to go (Clark)**

**and you were sleeping. Call me!**

**Bella**

I gave him a quick peck on the forehead and took off for home. I crept in the front door, but Clark was waiting. He eyed my clothing and gave me a disapproving look.

"Hey….it's not what it looks like. I stopped by his house to watch a movie and my attire wasn't exactly comfortable so I borrowed these." I defended. He didn't say a word, just glanced down at his watch. "Oh cut the crap."

"Did he-"

"No he did not Clark. He was a gentleman. I fell asleep and so did he. He was still asleep when I left this morning. Besides, I don't really see how it's any of your business anyway." I hissed.

"Good." He responded flatly.

"Ya know Clark….I like Oliver. I think he's nice, and fun….and most importantly he respects me. So what if I stayed over? I'm grown Clark. I lost my one true love…so what if I crave a little attention from someone? That's not a crime!! I'm not dead, as much as I would _like_ to be sometimes!" I hadn't realized I practically growled at him. He looked stunned.

"You're absolutely right. I'm sorry. I'm just protective of you, and don't want to see you hurt anymore." He smiled my favorite Clark Kent smile and I forgot why I was even upset.

"Speaking of getting hurt….I'm not sure if you've come out of your stupor and realized this yet, but Lois likes you." I smirked, grabbing a glass of orange juice. "I'm serious. Like really, _REALLY_ likes you."

"It's too complicated." Clark protested.

"Yeah, sure. I'm pretty sure that Lois Lane, military brat, can handle the truth Clark." I snickered.

"It's not that. I just don't want anything to happen to her. Everyone who knows about me always gets hurt, attacked, or prodded for information. I can't do that to her." Clark frowned. I wanted to ask him if he had admitted his feelings about her finally, but at that time, the front door swung wide open.

"Who always gets hurt?" Lois questioned. _Damn…for a human she had good hearing. Must be the reporter in her. I'd have to watch that in the future. _I grinned smugly at Clark, waiting for his brilliant answer. When I realized he was staring back at me stupidly, I decided I had to take charge.

"Me. Clark's just playing big brother hardcore right now." I covered. "I'm going to take a shower. See you around." I made my way upstairs and cracked up when Lois asked if my pajamas belonged to Oliver. Clark groaned in annoyance.

* * *

By the time I showered and changed, Clark and Lois had already left for work. I heard my phone beeping and saw that I had one text message.

_**I woke up alone this a.m. :( I'm craving your company -Oliver** _

I swore my dead heart started fluttering.

_**Sry! Big Bro freak out avoided :) Don't miss me 2 much -Bella**_

A few minutes later my phone beeped again.

_**I already do. When can I C U again? -Oliver**_

_**Can I bring U lunch at work? -Bella**_

_**Definitely! 1 pm? -Oliver**_

_**Perfect! C U then! *Hugs* -Bella**_

I sighed contentedly, grabbed my purse and headed for the ISIS Foundation to see what Chloe had managed to come up with.

* * *

Chloe and I spent the better part of the morning trying to track down Davis Bloom. I contacted every single person who might know him or his whereabouts and got nowhere. Chloe hacked into Luthor Corp. but there system was locked down tighter than Fort Knox. Every time she would make headway, she would hit another firewall.

"Ugh!! This is so frustrating!!" Chloe tossed the wireless mouse down on her desk top, agitated. "I can find anyone!! Why can't I find _him_?!"

"It's okay Chloe…we'll find him, I promise. And even if we don't, if he really is after Clark, he'll show his ugly mug around here again, I'm sure of it."

"I keep thinking he'll come to me when he's ready, I just hope it's sooner than later." She sighed.

"…and if and when that actually happens….I don't care how you get a hold of me, but you do it, okay? I mean it Chloe. I don't want anything happening to you. You have Jimmy to think about." I said in a motherly tone.

"K." She whispered. I glanced up at the clock on the wall and it said 12:45pm.

"Crap! I've gotta go. I've promised Oliver I'd take him lunch in fifteen minutes." I explained, grabbing my coat and purse. She grinned from ear to ear.

"Oh really?" She cocked an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes dramatically.

"Yes really. He's nice and I enjoy his company." I smiled sickly sweet. She busted out laughing and I chose to ignore her. I darted out of the building and headed to a nearby Chinese restaurant.

* * *

"I'm here to see Oliver Queen please." I said politely. The receptionist looked up at me, popping her Bubble Yum gum and gave me a dirty look. I realized I had gone to school with her.

"Do you have an appointment?" Jessica Stanley asked in a rude tone. _I could so rip your head off your shoulders. No Bella. Play nice._

"This lovely lady doesn't need an appointment Ms. Stanley. Ever." Oliver said standing in the doorway smiling. I grinned smugly at Jessica and followed him into his elaborate office.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I think I got a little of everything." I shrugged, setting the food out on his conference table.

"I'll eat just about anything, I'm not picky." He voiced smiling. "I'm glad you came."

"Yeah…sorry about the note. You were just sleeping so peacefully, I didn't want to wake you up." I'm surprised I could form a coherent sentence the way he was staring intensely at me.

"That was the best nights sleep I've ever had." He smiled my favorite smile, causing an embarrassingly familiar heat south of the border.

"I will say I enjoyed it myself. Vampires don't sleep, so Edward was always wide awake while I snored." I said quietly. _Way to boost his ego there Bella. Keep bringing up the dead husband. Confidence killer for sure. _

"Wow! Never sleep? That's crazy!" He said wide-eyed.

"Yeah, it took some serious getting used to." I chuckled. "Oh…I'll wash your clothes and bring them back to you."

"Keep them. They look better on you anyway." He said in a semi-seductive tone. _Did it just get hot in here?_

"Yeah…uh…Clark didn't exactly think so." I rolled my eyes.

"Uh-oh. He's not going to pummel my ass or anything, right?" He pretended to be nervous.

"Don't worry. I won't let him hurt ya." I winked, grabbing his rock hard bicep. "However, I'd imagine you could handle yourself."

"Yes ma'am. However, these guns much prefer how they fit comfortably around a certain lady friend last night, and they miss that." His voice was low and husky. _Oh damn. How in the hell do you respond to that? Okay…who turned up the freaking heat?!_

_Did I tell him how badly I wished I was back in his arms, or did I continue playing impossibly hard to get? Did I want to be hard to get?_

"Well, I think your lady friend is probably missing them too." I chewed nervously on the inside of my cheek.

"That's a very good thing to know." He grinned proudly. We talked and finished eating. He handed me a fortune cookie and I opened it and read it aloud.

"True happiness isn't always once in a lifetime." I didn't realize I practically whispered it in shock. The words hit far too close to home. _Seriously, who rigged this? _"What does yours say?"

"Share your heart with someone new. Wow….that's….crazy." _Alright…where is he? Where's the little dude that sits around writing these things all day?_

"So….who are you going to share it with?" I whispered softly standing up, trying to figure out how in the hell I had let that slip. _Seriously, verbal filter Bella. Get one. _He stood and instinctively pulled me into his arms.

"I think I'd like for it to be you." He said carefully, waiting nervously to see if he had crossed any invisible boundaries.

"I like the way this feels too much and it scares me Oliver." I admitted. "Don't take this wrong, but mentally I can't decide if I want this because it's you and you're wonderful and charming and sweet, or if it's because I've been alone and in pain for so long that it just feels nice." _Nice. Way to blurt that out there Bells. You probably just killed this budding friendship that you actually care a lot about. Friendship. Is that really what this was? Could I honestly handle any more than that?_

"Bella, I don't expect things to change overnight. You haven't even known me that long. I will gladly take whatever part of you you'll let me have. I just feel like you were…I don't know…sent to me." He whispered into my ear and I squeezed him tighter to me, trying not to crush him.

"Thank you for not pushing me. You're amazing." I gazed up at him smiling. Just then his office door opened.

"Whoa…dude…sorry…" A huge, muscular blonde guy said. I stepped away from Oliver instinctively.

"No no! Come in! I have someone I want you to meet." Oliver motioned the two men in. "Bella, this is Arthur Curry…." He pointed to the big guy, "…and Bart Allen." The other guy looked young. He had light brown hair and was tall and thin. "These two are better known as Aquaman and The Flash. Guys….meet Bella Cullen."

"Wow! It's a pleasure." I reached out and shook Arthur's hand. When I extended the gesture to Bart, he took my hand and lightly kissed it. I chuckled when I noticed Oliver glaring at him.

"So this is Clark's friend?" Bart asked, waggling his eyebrows. It was cute in a kid kind of way. I knew I would like him instantly.

"Yes sir. That's apparently how I'm best known around here. Bella Cullen aka Clark's BFF." I smirked.

"Sweet! Well any friend of Clark's can count on us for sure." Bart said, flashing a dashingly bright smile.

"Thanks." I nodded appreciatively. "Well guys, I've gotta get going. I have a few more leads on Davis I need to check out. Call me later?" I held up a pretend hand phone to my ear.

"Definitely. You're looking for Davis Bloom alone?" Oliver frowned.

"Well….yeah….I guess. I've gotta find this guy before he hurts someone." I said matter-of-factly.

"Yes…but is that really safe? I mean—" _Oooohhh…Did I see a protective side emerging? Endearing but totally unnecessary._

"Oliver…I'll be fine. If I need help, I know how to ask. Maybe you can put some of that technology to use and figure out how to destroy Doomsday." I winked. His look said he still didn't like it. "I'll be okay. Promise." I strutted out of the room. Bella Cullen was independent. She wasn't clumsy or a hazard to her own health anymore. She was strong and fearless and nothing was going to get in her way.

**Chapter End Notes:**

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	10. The Dog

**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing. All Smallville and Twilight characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners.**

**CHAPTER 10: THE DOG**

"Bella?! Bella oh my God! Are you alright?!" Alice questioned frantically.

"Yeah….why? What's wrong?" I groaned sitting up, half asleep. "Alice…it's 4am…."

"I know…it's just, your future disappeared and I was worried." She rambled. "Someone said Jacob is looking for you."

"Great." I muttered. "That's all I need."

"Sorry, I just had to be sure you were okay. I can't lose you too." She said pointedly.

"I know hun…it's okay. I missed your voice anyway. Damned Jacob. What in the hell am I going to do with him?!" I asked irritated.

"I don't know. Rumor has it he thinks he's going to convince you to come back with him to the Reservation."

"Oh lovely. Where vampires and werewolves co-exist peacefully, right? What in the hell has he been smoking?!" I muttered sarcastically. Alice busted up laughing.

"Apparently the peace pipe…" She giggled and I couldn't help but grin. "I've missed you so much."

"How is everyone?" I hesitated, not sure I was ready for the answer.

"They wish you'd come home, but they understand. Esme is making herself crazy trying to stay busy." Alice tried to disguise the sadness in her voice. It was hard to hear the ordinarily perky, on top of the world Alice when she sounded so down.

"Give her a hug for me okay?"

"I will. So how's it going with the Green guy?" She asked point blank. No beating around the bush with Alice.

"He's really nice. His name's Oliver by the way." I laughed.

"C'mon. Tell your BFF how you really feel. Spit it out." Alice chirped. _Ugh! Why did she have to know me so well?_

"I can't help but feel guilty. I feel a certain…chemistry between us, but it's not like Edward and I. I don't think anyone will ever really compare, but Oliver makes me feel….things. I don't understand Alice. It isn't fair." I poured my heart out.

"Aww…Bella….Edward will always be the love of your life, but the heart is capable of caring for others. It's big enough to love both, I promise. You just have to keep reminding yourself that Edward wouldn't and didn't want you alone and unhappy. If Oliver makes you feel good….I think you should let him." She preached. "…and I wanna meet him in person. I'm coming to see you next week anyway. I was going to surprise you, but I'm way too excited!"

"WHAT?! REALLY?!?!?!?" I exclaimed enthusiastically. "YAY! Oh this is great! I can't wait!"

"Well get some sleep Bells and I'll see you next Monday when the cloud cover is a little more permitting." She chuckled. "Love ya Sis!"

"Love you too Alice." I hung up and fell back asleep, despite the fact that I knew Jacob was probably outside waiting for me. The dog could wait.

* * *

Several hours later, I made my way out of bed when there was a knock at the front door. I groaned, assuming it would be Jacob. I roughly opened the door.

"What?!" I said gruffly, before realizing it wasn't Jacob at all.

"Oh….umm….I'm sorry-"

"Oliver!! Oh…God…I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else!" I quickly explained, embarrassed. "Come in."

"Are you sure?" He teased.

"Please?" I pleaded. "I'll beg if you want?" I smirked.

"Well…now that you mention it…." He grinned devilishly.

"Get your ass in here." I laughed, grabbing his hand, pulling him inside. I heard a howl in the woods and I rolled my eyes, closing the door. "So what brings you by?

"I was thinking maybe we could work together today on the Davis Bloom situation…and I missed you." He smiled. There was another obnoxious howl. "What the hell was that?"

"It's just a stupid…._ANNOYING_….wolf." I said, knowing full well that Jake could hear me. Then came a low, rumbling growl.

"A wolf?" Oliver questioned. "I don't think I've ever seen one in Smallville."

"Oh trust me….it's not from around here." I said. "And by the way…I missed you too." He didn't waste any time pulling me to him for a hug. "Mmm…Oliver hugs are the best."

"There's plenty more where that came from." He winked. About that time, a full on barking erupted. Oliver looked irritated, but not _half_ as irritated as I was.

"Excuse me for just one moment." I hastily opened the front door and stepped out onto the front porch. "JACOB BLACK!! Get your ass out here where I can see you!" I hissed. Oliver was behind me now.

"Who are you talking to?" Confusion was written all over Oliver's gorgeous face.

"Just watch…..and I'm apologizing ahead of time…." I said quietly. "Jacob….I can freaking _smell_ you! If I have to come looking for you, I'm gonna be _pissed_!" I growled. A moment later, a massive russet brown wolf with long, shaggy hair darted out of the trees, coming into view.

"Shit Bella!! Get inside!" Oliver tugged at my arm.

"No….just wait." I crossed my arms over my chest annoyed. My foot was cocked to the side, tapping the concrete impatiently. About that time, Jake phased back into human form and ended up being butt-ass naked in front of us, holding his jeans in his teeth. Oliver wore a look of complete and total shock. I didn't blame him, I had been that way the first few times I'd watched Jake phase. It's so fast, if you blink you might miss it. "Jesus Jake….put your damn pants on. That's more than I need to see."

"What the fuck-" Oliver questioned, eyes wide.

"Oliver….meet Jake…..aka werewolf…" I introduced, "…and royal pain in my ass."

"Whatever. You know you like it." Jake smirked smugly, taking his sweet ass time putting his pants back on. Jack was attractive, nearly seven feet tall, tan skin, long dark hair, and naturally built, but that didn't make up for his arrogant attitude. "I see you don't waste any time…." He glared at Oliver. Oliver didn't flinch. _Great…..let the pissing contests begin…._

"You're just jealous because I didn't come running straight to you." I shot back. "What are you doing here anyway?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"I came to take you home. My dad and everyone on the Res miss you. I miss you and-" Oliver's jaw clenched and I grabbed his hand in a poor attempt to appease him. The last thing I needed was for Jacob to kill Oliver. Green Arrow or not, he was no match for Jacob in wolf form.

"Jacob…I am home. Smallville is my home. Forks was my home while Edward was alive, but without him….it's just painfully empty there." I said gently, soothingly.

"Bella…what about me? Us?!" Jake pleaded. For a second, my heart broke for the guy, I hated this. Oliver looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Jake….there is no "us". I'm sorry that you imprinted on someone that you can't have. Really…I am." _If I had a dollar for every time I had said that over the past several years….._

"We could be together and you know it. We were happy once, and I would do anything for you…." Jake growled, fueling my fury. Oliver must have sensed it because he fearlessly placed himself between us. "Blondie's got some balls…."

"Yeah. They're solid fucking gold. Would you like to find out, because I'm certainly not afraid……….." Oliver threatened, staring hard into Jake's eyes. _Damage control Bella…._

"You should be-" Jacob said with a cocky grin. _Shit…this was getting out of hand…_

"Enough! Actually, he shouldn't." I snarled. "Because if you don't get the hell off this property, I'm going to knock that shit-eating grin right off your goddamned face." He hesitated, but then thought better of it. He knew I would make good on my threat.

"Fine. But this conversation is far from over. You can't deny me forever Bella!" Jake growled before phasing and darting back into the woods from which he came. Oliver didn't take his eyes off of Jake until he was completely out of sight.

"Do I even _dare_ ask what that was all about?!" Oliver's eyes narrowed.

"I'll tell you all about it, _after_ I have some caffeine in my system. Come on." I said walking back inside to grab a cup of coffee. "You want a cup?"

"Nah…I already had my morning cup of Joe." He sat down on one of the barstools.

"Ok…so _that_……was Jacob Black. As you can see, he's a werewolf." I leaned across toward Oliver, propping my chin up with my wrists, elbows against the countertop.

"Well…werewolf or not, I didn't like the way he talked to you." Oliver said sternly.

"Haha….you and Edward would have gotten along perfectly then." I chuckled.

"Sounds like Edward was a smart guy." Oliver grinned. "What did you mean about imprinting?"

"That's where the story gets a bit complicated. Shortly after Edward and I started seeing each other, I was attacked by a psycho vampire named James. Edward saved me, but he was so overcome with guilt, thinking that it was his fault for bringing me into his dangerous world, and he decided to take it upon himself to leave me, without consulting me first. He thought by making a clean break, that I would eventually get over him, move on and continue a normal human life with someone else. Looking back, he only had my best interest at heart, but instead of moving on, I became a shell of my former self. I wasn't whole without my Edward, and I was pretty much willing myself to die. Cue Jacob. That's when he befriended me. Believe it or not, back then, he was sweet and charming and wonderful. Jake was like….a band-aid dressing the gaping hole in my soul, named Edward. Eventually Edward came back, not being able to make it apart from me, as well. I eagerly took him back, knowing there was no one else for me. By that point, Jacob's feelings had grown for me and he wanted more than friendship. You can see where this is going….." Oliver nodded. "I wasn't able to give him what he wanted. To make matters worse, werewolves only exist because vampires do. They view themselves as the protectors of humans, from the vampires. They're age old enemies, so you can imagine how pissed Jacob was that I was with a "bloodsucker" as he calls us. As if all of that wasn't enough, wolves imprint. In other words, they don't have a choice in their mate, it's all predetermined. Once they imprint, the male and female are like magnets. They can't stay away from each other, no matter how hard they try. Well….as you can guess….Jake imprinted on me. The day before my freakin' wedding." I explained. Oliver listened intently, hanging on my every word.

"So, how come you aren't with Jacob? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you aren't, I just don't understand." He said curiously.

"Nobody really knows. I'm just different I guess. My father-in-law Carlisle thinks it might have something to do with my shield, since imprinting is basically mental, but who knows. Jake thought I would leave Edward and to his unpleasant surprise, I didn't. The moment he heard of Edward's death, he's been bothering me ever since. My brother-in-law Emmett used to keep him at bay, and I thought by moving back here, he'd back off a bit, but apparently not. He will literally wait for me forever. Forever meaning, I don't age, and as long as he continues to phase into wolf form, he won't age either."

"Wow…that's kind of shitty."

"Yeah….kinda puts a damper on a relationship with anyone else. Who really wants to deal with that?! He was so bothersome, Edward begged me to let him kill him daily." I frowned. "…and it's really sad for him because in his mind, he'll never be truly happy with anyone but me." Oliver leaned forward and gently cupped my cheek in his hand.

"Lucky for you….Green Arrow sure as hell isn't afraid of the big bad wolf." He whispered huskily. I closed my eyes and instinctively leaned into his hand.

"Good." I smiled softly, taking in a deep breath of air. "Now….after all the chaos of the morning, I'm ready to get to work."

**Chapter End Notes:**

**Don't be shy!! Drop me a note telling me what you think!! No reviews = Sad face. Also, a huge thanks to AngelJJK for being awesome and always making time to review!!**


	11. Bella's Watch

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight and Smallville belong to their respective owners. Everything else, is all mine :)**

**CHAPTER 11: BELLA'S WATCH**

"So I couldn't find Davis himself, but I was able to track down his ambulance. Turns out it was abandoned in the same old cornfield where Clark's ship landed." Chloe explained.

"Really? Any significance?" I questioned. "Surely it's not a coincidence."

"I'm not 100% positive, but from what I managed to get from the Luthor database and in conjunction with the info from Lana, it appears that he's probably Kryptonian as well." Worry was written all over her face, and to be honest, I could feel it creeping up on my own.

"Lovely." I stated flatly. "So maybe kryptonite is a weakness then?"

"I doubt that." Oliver spoke. "If that was the case, wouldn't being near Lana the other night have had the same effect as it did on Clark?"

"True." I agreed.

"Also, I thought you might be interested to know that there are seventeen missing person reports in the last seven days." Chloe said pulling the police reports out of a manila folder.

"Jesus!" I said looking over her printouts. "After seeing this, we really have no choice but to go and check out that ambulance."

"I'll take my own car. I've gotta run some errands after." Chloe said, thankfully so, because Oliver's car was a two-seater. Oliver took my hand as we walked out to his black 2010 Aston Martin.

"Not to keep comparing, but Edward was quite the car collector. He would have owned this car." I smiled, remembering my loves obsession with his Vanquish.

"Hey….I'm not complaining at all. That just means I'm similar to someone that you loved enough to marry. I'll take that as a huge compliment." He winked. I smiled, not quite reaching my eyes. _Sweet Oliver….so amazing, but sadly never a replacement for my Edward. _We drove in silence until we came upon the broken down ambulance. It looked straight out of some horror movie. All the doors were wide open and there was writing, symbols upon closer inspection, written in blood. The stench of the metallic human blood caused me to wrinkle up my nose in disgust. _Yeah…some vampire you are…_

"The symbols are definitely Kryptonian." Chloe verified, trying to fight her gag reflex. We all made our way out into the field to take a closer look. I took in a big whiff of air, seeking out any familiar scents. I immediately recognized…..fresh dirt. I followed my nose and ended up about three quarters of the way into the field, and found myself staring at the ground in horror.

"Seventeen…." Escaped my lips as I quickly counted, and then recounted. There were seventeen freshly filled in holes. Some were older than others, notably so, because the soil wasn't as damp. There was no denying what lay buried underneath the earth.

"Those poor innocent people….my God…" Chloe gasped in remorse. Oliver hugged her to his chest, comforting her.

"It's time to take serious action. This has gotten way out of hand. Either this thing is feeding off of people, or he's just some maniac serial killer with no known weaknesses. We've gotta get Clark. He'll be able to verify that the bodies are there for sure with his x-ray vision." I instructed. I heard a cell phone ring, and Chloe started digging in her purse and pulled out her iPhone. She looked at the caller id and a mix of fear and panic masked her face. She held it up so I could read it.

"Davis…" I whispered. "Answer it." She did as I asked, Oliver stepping back a bit to watch Chloe's interaction. Fortunately for me, I would be able to hear the entire conversation.

"H-Hello?"

"Chloe. Chloe thank God." Davis's voice was strained. "I _need _you Chloe."

"Davis, I want to help, but you have to tell me where you are." She asked softly. I nodded to her to keep going.

"You _told_ them about me, _didn't_ you Chloe?!" He was beginning to sound enraged, almost animalistic. I bit back an instinctual protective growl.

"No NO! I swear! I just wanted to help you. I'm your friend Davis." Chloe soothed.

"Just like you said you'd come back and stay with me two nights ago? You LIED!!!! ALL THOSE PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF _YOU _CHLOE!!!!!" He yelled. _What the fuck? Two nights ago…what?!_ Tears started streaming down Chloe's cheeks. I briefly glanced to Oliver whose eyes were narrowed on Chloe in confusion.

"Davis….please….just tell me where you are so I can help you." She pleaded. "I'll come to you. I swear."

"You'll know soon enough my dear Chloe. You WILL be mine!" He snarled before the line went dead. Chloe collapsed to her knees and Oliver knelt down beside her.

"Chloe Ann Sullivan, I don't have time for secrets and lies. You need to spit out what you know about Davis Bloom, right the fuck now." I hissed. I wasn't trying to be hateful, just trying to convey the seriousness of the situation. "What did he mean about two days ago?" She looked up at me nervously.

"I did it to protect Clark. Davis says that I keep him calm, like a sedative. That as long as he's near me he's in control. As soon as I leave, the monster in him goes on a killing spree. He came to me the other night and asked me to stay with him, to help him. I hid him in the Talon basement, thinking that since my apartment was upstairs that would be close enough. Those people Bella……it's all my fault!" She sobbed. My heart broke for her, and Oliver squeezed her to him.

"Chloe….he's manipulating you. It's not your fault….not at all. Why didn't you tell me?" I asked my voice softer now.

"He said he would kill you next, and then Clark." She whispered. "He realizes you'll protect Clark, and that makes you a threat."

"Chloe….do you know where he might be now? I need to warn Clark."

"Like I said, the last I knew, he was hiding out in the Talon basement." At that, my mind was made up.

"Okay. I'm going after him. Oliver, I need you to get Clark." I ordered.

"Bella, I think we should all go together." Oliver protested sternly.

"Oliver, there's no time. Didn't anyone think about Jimmy?" I questioned, glancing at Chloe.

"He should be home in about ten minutes. Oh God Bella!! What if he goes after Jimmy?!" Chloe said frantically checking her watch.

"If you guys hurry, maybe I can hold him off until Clark gets there. Round up as many people that can help. Keep Chloe safe." I instructed Oliver before running as fast as I could to the Talon Café.

* * *

My adrenaline kicked into high gear when I reached the entrance of the tiny café. From the looks of it, it was nearly destroyed. Tables were overturned, chairs smashed into bits. The couches had claw-like tears in them and there were broken coffee cups shattered everywhere.

"Davis?!" I called out, listening carefully for the slightest sound of movement. A moment later I could barely make out the faint beating of a heart. It sounded like it was coming from the upstairs apartment. I made my way to the stairs and froze as the smell of human blood stung my nostrils. Then I saw it. Blood was painted all over the railing and stairway. Not even stopping to think, I practically flew up the fourteen stairs and entered Chloe and Jimmy's apartment. The door had been open and more blood was plastered in the entryway. I heard a low snarl, and sure enough, there was Doomsday looking the opposite direction. My eyes darted around and landed on Jimmy, leaned up against the wall by the couch. He was blanketed in his own blood.

"Jimmy!" I whispered, trying to determine if he was still conscious.

"Bella…get out of here…." His voice was barely audible. He was fading fast. I had to work quickly.

"It's okay Jimmy. I'm going to get you out of here. Hang on for Chloe, babe." I moved to him slowly. Doomsday's eyes shot to me like daggers.

"Hey there big guy." I smirked. He was even uglier than I remembered, bigger too. He looked at least eight feet tall, and in the light, I could see his scaly, reptilian-like flesh. I thought I saw an extra set of teeth in his mouth and his gums were black and tarry looking. The creature stalked toward me and I dodged it. Doomsday seemed to lack agility, which I had in my favor. "Davis…Davis Bloom! I know you're in there!" The monster howled in laughter.

"Davis can't come out and play." The creature snarled, drool falling from its mouth. I moved in a semi-circle in front of Jimmy. I refused to chance Doomsday having another go at him. Jimmy wouldn't survive another blow.

"You are …….One. Ugly. Mug….you know that?" I taunted, I couldn't resist. "I won't let you hurt Clark, you know this…."

"I guess I'll have to kill you first…." It growled.

"Let's see whatcha got!" I grinned, toying with him. Doomsday lunged at me, but I picked him up, with more difficulty that expected, and threw him across the apartment. _Damn! Was his ass full of lead?! Shit! _It wasn't a split second and it was back, and started swinging punches at me furiously. I dodged the first two, but the third made impact with my jaw, causing a resounding crunch, and it threw me back against the wall. I got back up immediately and kicked the monster in the stomach, not doing much damage. Doomsday was making his way too close to Jimmy's limp body for my liking, so I decided it was time to use my shield. I focused all my strength and I felt it go up. I needed to keep the creature interested long enough for help to get there, and hopefully they could either capture or destroy it, but I couldn't leave Jimmy unprotected. I slowly knelt down and cradled Jimmy's lifeless body in my arms and focused on the fading rhythm of his heartbeat. _God damn it Bella!! Nobody else dies on your fucking watch!! Nobody dies! NOBODY DIES!!!!! _The monster tried repeatedly to penetrate the shield but couldn't. I silently cursed myself because I could feel myself weakening. I wasn't yet ready for an invasion of this magnitude. I closed my eyes and fought against myself to sustain it. The very last thing I saw was Clark, Oliver, Chloe, Arthur and Bart bursting into the room. My shield went down and everything went black.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**Sorry! I know this chapter was short, but this was the best stopping point. Gotta leave ya hangin' for just a bit :)**

**Hmm…I wonder if killing off Oliver would get me more reviews?! Ahh…who am I kidding?! We can't continue without the billionaire hottie! :)**


	12. Meet the Cullen's

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing around.**

**Chapter Twelve: Meet the Cullen's**

"Can you open your eyes child?" Came a soothing voice I recognized.

"Carlisle…." I whimpered.

"Yes child….It's me. Can you look at me sweetheart?" He asked warmly. I struggled to do as he said, but managed. "Ahh…that's my girl. How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck." I held my head, trying to calm the jackhammer going off between my ears.

"Esme's bringing you some Tylenol." He said, checking my reflexes.

"Esme's here?!"

"We all are. Jacob must have gone far enough away that Alice was able to see you. She had a vision of you unconscious, so we packed up and came right away." He explained. Just then, Esme entered the room with a tall glass of water and two Tylenol.

"Oh Bella dear! I was so worried about you!" She gasped, gently pulling me in for a hug. I kissed her cheek. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed them all in such a short time.

"I'm fine. I guess I tried to use my shield for too long and my body couldn't take it." I looked down, embarrassed. " I just wanted to protect Jimmy. JIMMY! Oh my God!! Is he okay?!" Realization had set in.

"He's stable. It'll take several months for him to heal completely, but he will be just fine. You did a great job. I'm so very proud of you daughter." Carlisle smiled.

"Edward would be proud too." Esme said, covering her heart with her hand. I stared blankly at the wall before speaking moments later.

"I miss him. So so so much." I whispered sadly.

"We all do dear, but we all need to focus on being happy, for Edward. Carlisle squeezed my hand.

"Speaking of which….there are two young men who haven't left your side. They're dying to see you." Esme grinned. "I think Oliver's a pretty sweet young man, don't you?" I blushed. I could see where this conversation was going.

"Edward would like him." Carlisle smiled. _Yeah…sure he would. He would absolutely LOVE Oliver if he knew the chemistry between us….ugh…. _Carlisle kissed my forehead and walked out, Esme doing the same. Clark and Oliver practically attacked each other to get in the door. I smiled up at both of them and they each sat down on opposite sides of me.

"Hey…" Clark said softly, taking my hand. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll survive. I've had worse." I smirked. "What happened after I blacked out?"

"Luckily Chloe was able to calm Davis down long enough to turn back into human form. Davis apparently seems to think that Kryptonite is a weakness for him as well, only it takes larger quantities to incapacitate him. Do you remember that Kryptonite cell that Lionel Luthor had built for me years ago?" Clark asked. I nodded, shuddering at the memory of Clark's helpless body caged inside a green-glowing Kryptonite tomb. "Well, Oliver has the cage at Queen Industries. He confiscated it after he learned my secret, and now Davis agreed to go willingly until we can figure out how to handle him." _Mental note….ask Oliver why in the FUCK he kept that thing around? Why not destroy it?!_

"Wow. That's pretty awesome that he offered himself up like that, but who in the hell put him in it? Clark, I don't want you anywhere _near_ that thing!" I asked in a stern motherly voice.

"Jasper and Emmett." Clark grinned.

"Of course." I grinned back. My goof brothers, always looking for some action. I was happy to have my family close by. "I can't believe I blacked out. It's a good thing you guys got there when you did." I sighed.

"Well….because of you, Jimmy's still alive and Chloe has her husband. You should be proud." Oliver smiled softly. "However, please try not to scare me to death like that ever again."

"I'll work on it." I winked. "So…..what about using black Kryptonite on him? If we could split him from the monster then-"

"….I could put the monster in the Phantom Zone, and Davis could be saved! Bella you're a genius!!" Clark finished with a wide smile.

"I could have told you that." I smirked. Clark's cell phone rang.

"It's Lois. I'd better take this. She's worried about you and I need to do damage control before she's goes on a tangent." He chuckled. I smiled and nodded in understanding as he stepped out of the room.

"So….are you okay? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"I'm fine, other than the fact that I nearly had a heart attack when I found you on the floor with blood all over your face." Oliver frowned.

"Sorry. He his me in the jaw pretty good." I grimaced, gently running my fingers over my newly regenerated face.

"I met the Cullen's. They seem pretty cool….if you ignore the fact that they could drain me dry…." He laughed.

"Don't forget Oliver…so could I." I chuckled and he rolled his eyes. "I just don't want to. The Cullen's are amazing. They've had decades of practicing self control. I love them all so much."

"Apparently they love you too." He said quietly, almost with a hint of sadness in his voice. "They got here right when we got you home and Carlisle went straight to work.

"Oliver….thank you." I whispered, squeezing his hand.

"For what?"

"For staying….and worrying….and caring." I smiled softly. "I don't want you to leave me…." Sadness crept into my heart and voice.

"Ssshh….I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He whispered, soothingly. I wiggled over and patted the bed. He moved beside me and I snuggled myself against his nice warm body and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Several hours later, I awoke, still wrapped in Oliver's arms. I looked up and was met with a sexy smile and soft brown eyes. He was smiling.

"You stayed."

"I promised." He gently pressed his lips to my forehead, causing my body to ignite on fire at the contact. I needed to move or we weren't getting out of this bed.

"As much as I'd like to stay right here, I should probably get up and see how Alice and Esme are doing." I whispered. He nodded in understanding. Reluctantly, I climbed out of bed, still a little light-headed, not bothering to check a mirror and headed toward the kitchen.

"BELLA!! You're awake!!" Alice chirped, squeezing me in a tight hug. _Right. Like she had no idea I was up…. _"….and you look like death…"

"Thanks sis. I feel like death. Forget the….how've ya been? I'm so glad you're alive….I missed you too Alice!" I teased. She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Um…are you gonna be okay?" Oliver asked nervously. "If so, I think I'll run home and check on some work things."

"Yeah, I'll be fine. These guys will keep me entertained." I smiled. He started to walk away but I grabbed his arm. "Where do you think you're going without giving me a hug goodbye?!" I pouted. He grinned from ear to ear and I snaked my arms around his neck standing on my tip toes to meet his tall frame. His strong arms wrapped snugly around my waist, pressing my body closer to his. _It's just a hug Bella…keep it clean…._

_"_Call me if you need anything…." He whispered softly into my ear.

"I'll call you later, even if I don't need anything." I winked as he pulled away and walked out the door. Alice and Esme practically squealed in delight.

"You two are adorable." Esme smiled.

"Hunka Hunka…." Alice giggled.

"You guys cut it out! This is impossibly hard for me. My heart says it's okay, but my brain says it's wrong." I hissed. "It feels like I'm cheating on Edward."

"Bella….do you remember my story?" I nodded to Esme. "I lost my husband and child in a tragic accident and I would have sworn to you that my world had ended. I said there would never be anyone else for me…..and then I met Carlisle. I never stopped loving my first husband; I simply opened up another part of my heart for Carlisle to fill." She smiled, holding her heart. "I think you should give Oliver a chance. I see the spark there, and I haven't seen you smile like that since Edward."

"Part of me wished that Oliver would have been pushy and insensitive. It would have been easier. But of course, he had to go and be all perfect and understanding." I said softly.

"…and CUTE!" Alice chimed in. I couldn't help but laugh….and agree with her.

"I guess in the back of my mind, I'm afraid I'll hurt Oliver. What if I can't give him everything he wants? I mean seriously, suppose Edward walked through that door right now…..everyone knows that I would drop Oliver like hot cakes. That's totally not fair to Oliver for me to feel that way." I rested my head on the countertop, frustrated.

"Bella, listen to me. Realistically, Edward's not coming back. Not ever, sweetheart. You've gotta stop thinking like that." _Never coming back. _Those three words felt like dying a thousand deaths all at once. "Besides, I've seen it. It all works out."

"Alice!!!" I hissed, annoyed. "You're visions are subjective anyway!"

"Yeah, whatever. You needed to hear it. Trust me!" She said smugly.

"Hey hey!! Look who's up!!" Emmett's voice boomed. I was grateful for his interruption.

"Emmett!!!" I exclaimed, jumping into his arms, bridal style. "I've missed you!"

"Missed you too Bells!" He set me down, ruffling my hair.

"I'm glad you're here. I need you to handle Jacob." I said. "He practically got into a pissing match with Oliver."

"My bets on Ollie! Human or not….that dude is built. I bet he can handle himself with the mutt." Emmett replied.

"Yes, he probably could, I just know you can deal with Jake. He sat outside the house the other night howling for hours. It's so fucking annoying."

"I'll take care of it." Emmett promised. "Now…care to tell me why you thought it would be cool to take on that Doomsday....thing….by yourself?" His eyebrows furrowed. _Great….bring on big brother number two… I swear he and Clark were separated at birth._

"Actually….I was trying to hold him off of Jimmy long enough for help to get there. If I'd had to shield anyone else, I wouldn't have lasted as long as I did." I stated matter-of-factly.

"Well…I don't like it. You're acting too much like Edward….going all solo and shit. That's how you get yourself hurt!" Emmett said protectively. The sound of Edward's name spoken aloud still felt like a knife to the heart, even after all this time.

"Excuse me?! Emmett, I think I know ALL too well about people getting hurt! That's exactly what I was trying to PREVENT!" I didn't realize I was shouting now. "Need I remind you of why I left and why Edward came after me, stupidly I might add, in the FIRST place?!! It was to protect the people I love!"

"Is everything okay?" Clark asked from the doorway.

"Yeah…I'm fine." I stared coldly at Emmett.

"Fuck…I'm sorry Bells. I didn't mean it like that. I just want you safe. You're too important to too many people." He apologized. I took a deep breath and relaxed, realizing I was probably overreacting.

"It's okay Em….it just…..still hurts really bad…."

"Bella…can I talk to you for a moment?" Jasper asked, finally joining the crowded kitchen.

"Sure Jazz." He took my hand and we walked outside, but he didn't stop on the porch. I knew he was taking me away from sensitive ears. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to say that I'm here for you darlin', no matter what…." His southern drawl was seeping through. He smiled warmly.

"Thanks Jazz. The same goes for you." I smiled back.

"The emotions coming off of you….it's like the craziest roller coaster ride ever." He chuckled.

"Sorry Hun." I said sheepishly.

"I kind of wanted to let you know that Oliver's emotions almost match your own, but he cares for you, more than just some random girl." He grinned. "I mean…he _really_ cares…."

"What do I do Jazz? I'm so damned confused. I'm so afraid that I'll lose Edward if I give into my feeling for Oliver, which I obviously cannot keep hidden from you." I smirked and he chuckled.

"You won't lose Edward, darlin'. He was always yours. He told me before he chose to go after you in Volterra, that if anything happened to him, I was to make sure you moved on. He didn't want you to lose yourself like you did during that ridiculous separation." Jasper rubbed my back soothingly. "I think Oliver's the one you need in order to heal. Don't fight it. You're so used to fighting for everything you care about, that you can't let go and relax when it's right in front of your face." I took a long deep breath and nodded.

"You're right Jasper. What could it hurt?!" I asked as I reigned in my inner turmoil and attempted to take back control.

"Now that's my Sis!"

**Chapter End Notes:**

**We're getting closer and closer to some serious twists people! Are you guys ready?! I am!! Also…next chapter….you might just get a lemon! I can't decide. Yikes I'm nervous!**


	13. Sexward

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners. The rest is me playing around.**

****Also, beware there is a mild lemon in this chapter. There….you were warned.**

**Chapter Thirteen: Sexward**

I wrung my hands out nervously before ringing the doorbell. I was feeling so incredibly insecure I could scream like a madwoman. What if everyone was wrong? I couldn't let myself get so hurt again, and Oliver certainly didn't deserve someone who was so unsure. Before I could talk myself into leaving, the door opened.

"Mrs. Cullen. What can I do for you this evening?" Alfred, the butler asked politely.

"Umm…I was just wondering if Oliver was busy. If so, it's not big deal. I can come back-" I knew I was just looking for every excuse to run like hell.

"That won't be necessary. He's back in his office. Shall I take you?" Alfred smiled.

"I remember how to find it. Thanks." I breathed, stepping inside. I made my way down the long hallways, and I could hear classical music playing inside his office. I now stood in the doorway, silently watching Oliver fumble through some papers on his desk. I had thought seeing him would make me more nervous, but somehow I was calmed by his presence. I cleared my throat and his eyes shot up. When he noticed it was me, he smiled widely.

"Am I interrupting?" I asked softly. He stood immediately and moved to me, grabbing my hands in his own.

"Absolutely not. Is everything okay?" His forehead creased with worry.

"Everything's fine." I assured him. "Sorry, I know I said that I would call, but I wanted to see you."

"I'm glad you came by. I would have stayed longer, but I wasn't sure if that was okay or not. I guess leaving was a cowardly thing to do, but-" He rambled nervously. I gently placed a finger over his lips to silence him.

"Oliver…..there's something I need to tell you….but I'm afraid. I'll understand your reaction no matter what, so don't worry about that." I mumbled. His face washed over with panic, and at that point I wasn't sure if I could say what I needed to say.

"Go ahead and tell me." He closed his eyes, as if he was bracing himself for a catastrophe. I took a deep breath.

"Oliver…I know we haven't know each other very long, and I know that I come with a lot of excess baggage. I've sort of been holding on to the idea that Edward might miraculously come back to me, and it's needlessly kept me from letting go and moving on…..but…." I paused. He slowly opened his eyes and gazed directly into mine. _Now or never Bella. Edward…please forgive me, you'll always be the true keeper of my heart. _"Oliver….I think it's possible that I'm having far more than friendship feelings for you." My eyes darted down immediately, waiting for the impending rejection, but it never came. Instead, he gently tipped my chin up to meet his smiling face.

"That's the best news I think I've ever heard….because I'm pretty sure that I'm already in love with you Bella." He whispered. _What?! In….love? With me? I didn't see that one coming. Not yet anyway. Holy. Shit. Bella. _At that moment, I lost total control of my body and threw myself into his arms and held onto him for dear life. I felt him kiss the top of my head and I relaxed against him. _Oliver loves me…._

"Oliver…."

"Hmm?" He murmured.

"Kiss me." I whispered. Apparently that was all he needed to hear, because in that instant, he cupped my face in his hands and crashed his lips to mine. My lips parted, allowing his sweet breath to invade my mouth. At that moment, I sympathized with Edward, enduring all my human days. I was keenly aware of my razor sharp teeth and the deadly venom that lurked beneath. Even though I didn't crave human blood, we still weren't sure if I had the capabilities of changing someone. I was getting lost in the moment and tangled my fingers in his blonde locks, closing the gap between us. My body was pressed hard into his masculine frame, and for the first time since I lost Edward, I felt cherished. He slowly pulled his lips away and leaned his forehead against mine, smiling. We both gasped for air.

"I could die a happy man right now…." He grinned.

"Well….that's all fine and dandy….but absolutely under no circumstances, is there going to be any dying." I half smiled. "I can't lose you too."

"Hey….I'm not going anywhere." He gently kissed my lips. "Especially now that I have a reason to stay." He paused for a brief moment. "You know, Clark is doing to go all Kryptonian on my ass, right?" He teased. I burst out laughing.

"You let me handle Clark Kent." I winked. "….and I supposed the media will have a hay day with this, huh?" I motioned back and forth between us.

"Considering Tess owns the Daily Planet, probably. Just as long as you can ignore the bullshit like….you being a fling, or wanting me for my money, blah blah blah…." Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Yeah umm…..about the money thing…." I paused.

"You DO want me for my money?!" He teased, and I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it. "So the truth comes out!"

"Oliver….I have more money that you and Luthor Corp. combined." I waited patiently for his reaction. I never told people about the Cullen fortune, because it always got weird reactions.

"What?! I mean….wow. Umm…I guess that just makes me love you even more." He smiled.

"Because I have money?!" I raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Hell no!! Because I never would have known. You don't act like the people I know. I would still want you even if you lived in a cardboard box." He explained. I grinned widely.

"I don't believe in all the haughty-taughty bullshit. I'm just me. Bella." I replied simply.

"So um….what do the Cullen's think about you being here?" He asked hesitantly. _Ahh….nervous Oliver comes out…._

"Actually….believe it or not, they're the ones who convinced me to go after you. They just want me happy, and apparently they say you've given me back my sparkle." I smiled up at him.

"That really means a lot. Coming from well…..your husband's family." He said sincerely.

"I know. I really appreciate you understanding all of this. I know it has to be hard." I hadn't realized I was fumbling nervously with the button on his shirt. His breathing hitched.

"Hey…you're worth it. I meant that when I said it the night of the ball." He whispered huskily into my ear. I shuddered. I couldn't believe the physical attraction I had to this amazing man.

"I guess I should let you get back to your work…." I said starting to pull away.

"Stay." He whispered, pulling me back toward him. "Stay with me tonight. I need you in my arms. Safe and sound." His words were so protective and gentle that I nearly melted into a puddle on the floor.

"I don't think I really wanted to leave anyway." I blushed admittedly. _Bella Cullen are you sure?! You know exactly what will happen if you stay! Maybe I need this. A little physical interaction never hurt anybody, did it?! I mean…why waste that fine specimen of male, right?!_

"You're so beautiful when you blush." He softly kissed my rosy cheek and continued ever so slowly down my jaw line and into the crook of my neck. I gasped for air at the sensation of his perfect lips brushing against my skin. At that moment, I knew I wanted him. No, I _needed_ him. All of him, and I desperately needed him to need me too.

"I think…..you forgot to show me your bedroom Mr. Queen." I whispered carefully, testing those words on my lips nervously. _Did I want this? Yes…I needed this. A release. No backing out now Bella. _He stared into my eyes, as if giving me a chance to change my mind. When I bravely smiled up at him, he immediately took my hand and led me through the great room to the bottom of the spiral staircase.

"Alfred….I'm not to be disturbed for the rest of the night." Oliver called down the hall and Alfred nodded in understanding. I swear I saw him wink. Once we were at the top of the stairs, I could see the master bedroom and I felt the non-existent butterflies in my stomach rear their ugly heads. The bed must have been specially made, because it was far larger than a California King. The room was decorated in autumn colors, warm reds, oranges and browns. The bed had a beautiful sheer canopy enveloping it. I sat down on the edge of the bed and he moved toward me. He gently eased my shoulders back so that I now rested against the bed, looking up at his body hovering above me. I smiled up at him and couldn't resist the urge anymore. I gently tugged the buttons of his shirt undone, pressing my palms flat against his perfectly defined chest and eased them across, pulling his shirt off his shoulders and threw it on the floor. I couldn't help but chew on my lower lip, taking in the sight of this sexy man.

"You're too gorgeous for me, I fear." I smiled devilishly, tracing circles over his bare skin.

"You couldn't be anymore wrong." He whispered seductively into my ear. His warm breath on my neck nearly sent me over the edge. I felt his hand softly brush the skin at the bottom of my shirt as he gently worked it up over my head, tossing it next to his own. A whimper escaped my lips at the feel of his warm skin pressed solidly against my own. I had long forgotten what it felt like to be intimate with someone, and honestly, Edward was the only man I'd ever been with. It had always felt perfect, like he had been made for only me. _Stop it Bella!!! You're in Oliver's bed for Christ sakes!! _Our breathing became heavy and wanting.

"I….I _need_ you…" I pleaded softly. "Please…"

"I'm right here baby….I'll give you whatever you want…" He peppered kisses on my neck and slowly moved down my chest. I fumbled to unclasp my black lace bra, exposing my naked upper body. I had scars all over from my torture in Italy and I almost panicked, wondering what he would think. Instead it was almost as though he didn't notice them. His fingers traced gentle patterns all over my bare skin and my back arched in response to his delicate touch. I ran my hands down his muscular back and moved to the waistline of his jeans, all the while, he placed soft kisses anywhere he could reach. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I unbuttoned them and pushed them off down his hips. I could feel his pulsating erection through my clothes and I smiled at the thought of his arousal. In an instant, my jeans lay on the floor and I was left beneath him with nothing but my black lace panties on. I reached up, grabbing his face, pulling his mouth to my own, kissing him deeply, passionately. He ground against me once before slowly inching my panties down my legs, torturing me with pleasure.

"Oh God….Oliver….I can't stand it…" I whimpered. It had been too long. I needed release now. My body sent my brain on vacation and all I could think about was having him. Him taking me. Release. We were kissing and grabbing at each other with such urgency. Fear, passion, loyalty and lust flooded my senses.

"Are you sure?" He asked, gazing into my eyes.

"I want you…." I promised, closing my eyes. At that moment, I felt him enter me, rocking my world with emotion and pleasure. "Yes…." I moaned, slowly opening my eyes. I gasped for air, realizing my mind was playing ridiculous tricks on me. The blonde haired, brown- eyed man, had been replaced with my favorite piercing golden eyes and sexy untamed bronze hair. I blinked repeatedly, trying to focus, but all I could see was my love. This was so terribly wrong, on so many levels, but I clung to it. I never wanted it to end, to lose him again.

"You feel….amazing…" He breathed, thrusting slowly in and out of me. His eyes never left mine, but all I could see was Edward. His eyes bore into my soul, silently promising not to leave me. Reclaiming me.

"Hold me…" I pleaded, not sure if I was talking to Oliver, or Edward. He wrapped his arms protectively around me and nestled his face in the crook of my neck, whispering sweet nothings to me.

"I'm yours….all yours, for as long as you'll have me." He promised.

"I'm uhh….so close Ed- Oliver!" I corrected quickly. Thank God he hadn't noticed my serious fuck up. _Seriously Bella! What the hell is wrong with you!? _I whimpered as our bodies collided harder and faster now. With a few final thrusts, I cried out in ecstasy and he followed shortly after. Once our breathing calmed, he rolled over pulling me back into his arms protectively. I nestled against him and he snuggled us under the warm blankets.

"That was ….amazing…" Oliver breathed.

"It was…" I agreed looking down, guilt seeping into the last ounce of my being. He gently kissed my forehead.

"Are you okay baby? Did I hurt you?" He asked worriedly. I stifled a snort at the possibility that he hurt me.

"I'm fine Oliver…..I just…..I don't deserve you." I said guiltily.

"Ssshh…..I love you Bella. You came into my life and turned everything upside down. I thought I was content, but I had no idea what I was missing. I was missing you." He took my hand and kissed my knuckles, lingering. I wanted to scream. I wanted to say how, if he only knew how truly broken I was. If he only knew how badly I was afraid I was going to hurt him. How I just fucking imagined he was my dead husband while he sent me into a blissful orgasm. I was a monster, plain and simple. But I couldn't tell him these things. I couldn't hurt him like that. He genuinely cared for me, and at this point, I couldn't fathom why or how. At the start of this little sex-capade, I was feeling confident and sure. Now I was thankful I couldn't cry, because I'd be resigned to a blubbering confused mess. "Penny for your thoughts?" _Oh God …think! What do I say?!_

"I guess….I just…..emotionally this was harder than I had imagined, or hoped. Physically….there was no problem. I can assure you of that." I said attempting to boost his ego before I completely obliterated it. _God you're pathetic Bella. Fucking tragic._

"Come on baby. Open up to me. Talk it out. I want to help you." Oliver pleaded sincerely.

"I truly don't deserve you." I whispered.

"Let me decide that, okay?" His lips softly pressed against mine.

"I guess….I know it's possible to open up my heart to you. I don't want to fight it anymore, but it's hard. I mean…Oliver……Edward was my everything. My reason to exist, to live…..to love. I want to love you Oliver. Please believe that. Parts of me already do…..and I'm working on the rest I swear. I need you in my life…." I ran my fingers through is ruffled blonde hair.

"….and I need you." He smiled softly. "…and I want you to know, I want you to remember Edward always. I want you to be able to talk about him and feel comfortable. I feel like I owe the guy my life for saving you, for allowing you to even be in my life." His voice was calm and sincere. At that, I burst into a fit of dry sobs, releasing all the worry, fear, anger and guilt that had been building. All I could say was thank you. He held me close while I struggled through my sobs until I finally fell asleep. Oliver was perfect in every way. I knew in that moment that I would be the stupidest woman on earth to let him get away.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**Whew!! I'm nervous about this chapter!! Poor Bella….she just can't get over her Edward. I feel for the girl….who wouldn't want their own personal Edward freakin' Cullen?! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!**


	14. Crazy Mornings

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners. The rest is mine :P**

**Apologies for the long wait! Real life got in the way!! Just found out I'm pregnant with Baby #3!! Wowzers! **

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: CRAZY MORNINGS**

"Good morning sleeping beauty." Oliver smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Morning." I breathed contentedly. "I guess I wasn't dreaming last night, huh?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"Oh no….did I seriously talk in my sleep? God I'm so sorry! I'm terrible about that." I panicked. I quickly racked my brain trying to remember what I possibly could have said.

"Ssshh…don't fret baby."

"You aren't gonna tell me are you?" I frowned.

"It was nothing to worry about. I'm just glad you're here, waking up in my arms." He grinned. I leaned in placing a slow kiss on his shoulder and neck. "Mmm…..Mrs. Cullen, I could kidnap you all day if you keep that up."

"I've got the time…" I winked. Where had all this playfulness come from? Apparently after an exploding orgasm, a fit of sobs, and talkative sleep, anything was possible. He leaned in catching my mouth with his own, and gently nibbled on my lower lip. "But I'm sure that all of my supernatural friends are wondering where in the hell I am….well….except Alice." I teasingly pouted.

"Maybe you should make an appearance then…" He whispered trailing anything but innocent kisses down my jaw line.

"Only if you come with me…" I bargained. "Alice can smell…well, see….gossip from a million miles away. I'm not facing that alone." I chuckled.

"Oh great." He laughed. "Bella, you should know, I'd love to be anywhere you are."

* * *

"Where in the heck have you been-" Clark snapped as I walked through the front door, but he stopped short when Oliver trailed in behind me.

"What? My pixie fortune-teller of a sister didn't give you a heads up?" I said smugly at Alice who was sitting at the kitchen table grinning like a freaking Cheshire cat.

"I tried to tell them you were more than fine, but Emmett and Clark wouldn't listen." Alice said, winking at Oliver. Oliver couldn't contain the grin that spread across his face like wildfire.

"Clark…you know we don't-"

"…bet against Alice. I know I know." Clark rolled his eyes. "What were you two up to?" It was my turn to roll my eyes, and Oliver shifted uncomfortably.

"Enjoying each others company." I squeezed Oliver's hand, and he smiled a mischievous smile. "Anyway….what's planned for today? Are you going to take care of Davis or what?"

"I don't want you going anywhere near Davis." Clark said protectively. "He's almost killed you twice."

"No. He hasn't _almost_ killed me. You're being ridiculous." I glared. "Besides, you can't touch the black Kryptonite anyway. It's too dangerous."

"Let me." Oliver spoke up.

"Absolutely not." I said quickly. It was my turn to be protective.

"That won't be necessary." Alice interrupted. "Davis is gone….and he's got Chloe….."

Before I could blink, Clark was gone. I started to go after him, but Alice leapt up and stopped me.

"Alice…what are you doing?!" I looked at her incredulously.

"You can't go this time. Just trust me please!" She answered sternly.

"NO! HE'LL KILL CLARK!!" I screamed.

"It's too late. Clark's already gone." Alice held me firmly, but I shook from her grasp.

"GONE?!" I hissed. "What the fuck do you mean…..gone?!

"Bella….he's not dead…..it's like…he's trapped. All I can see is desert, rock and a bunch of nothingness." She explained.

"The Phantom Zone?" Oliver questioned. I nodded yes in realization.

"I couldn't let you go, because you would have been trapped too. That couldn't happen because you're the only one who can get him out." Alice said forcefully.

"FUCK!" I said punching the wall, creating a giant gaping hole. "Think Bella think!!!" I shouted at myself.

"We'll get him back I swear." Oliver promised, pulling me against his chest, attempting to console me. "What do we need to do?"

"Okay….um…God…" I thought frantically. I had only seen Clark open the portal once and I had been too freaked out at the time to really pay attention. "There should be a blue crystal. Clark always hid that stuff in the barn…" I explained.

"Okay, I'm on it." Oliver took off out the front door.

"I'll help him." Jasper said following after him.

"Damn it!! That Goddamned dog is messing with me!" Alice fumed, holding her temples.

"I'll handle THAT problem…" Emmett stood up, purposefully cracking his knuckles.

"I'm coming too." Rosalie grinned, following her husband. "I've been itching to give that mutt a good ass whooping." Poor Jake. I'd hate to suffer Rosalie's wrath.

"Alice….I don't know what to do." I panicked. Esme was behind me, gently rubbing my shoulders.

"Focus…" Carlisle said soothingly. "Let's think logically. What needs to happen first?"

"Alright…." I breathed. "I need the black Kryptonite to separate Davis from the monster."

"And where is that?" He questioned.

"Umm…the last time I knew….it was being held at the Luthor mansion." I grimaced.

"I'll handle that." Oliver smirked, walking back in, handing me the blue diamond shaped crystal.

"What about Tess? And the security?" I frowned. I honestly didn't want him anywhere near that bitch. _Was I jealous? No…I was just concerned for his safety._

"Don't worry baby…I know all of Tess's secrets. I'll get the rock, no problem." He assured me. I closed my eyes and breathed out a short breath of defeat. This was for Clark. Oliver was going to the Luthor Mansion for Clark's benefit. Not Tess.

"Fine. Next, I need to know where Doomsday and Chloe are. That's the tricky part." I said holding my hand across my forehead in frustration. Just then the door opened and Bart walked in, strutting like he had just saved the day.

"Actually my dear….that's the easy part." He grinned widely. Oliver and I looked at him curiously. "Give the young guy some credit here." Bart teased. "I put a tracking device on Doomsday the other night. JUST in case." I practically tackled Bart to kiss him on the cheek.

"Bart….I freakin' LOVE you!" I exclaimed.

"Looks like you've got some healthy competition Ollie…" Bart said with a big cheesy grin.

"Not a chance, kiddo." Oliver said, playfully punching him in the shoulder.

"Ok Bart….let me know the second you've located them." I said turning to Alice. I know just what I needed, and I knew she wouldn't disappoint. "Did you bring it?"

"You bet your sweet ass I did." She grinned like a high school girl on prom night. "….and the clothes are upstairs." I took off for my room.

"Bring what?" Oliver questioned, confused.

"Oh…you'll see." Alice clapped her hands together excitedly. "I just LOVE badass Bella!"

* * *

Minutes later I emerged downstairs in a full body, black leather suit with black boots. My long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and my black Gucci sunglasses rested on top of my head.

"Oh DAMN!" Bart said first. Oliver's head snapped up and his jaw dropped. He was speechless.

"Girl….you look bitchin'!" Rosalie grinned. I smiled smugly.

"Got anything for me?" I asked Bart, gently wiping away the drool on his face. Oliver's eyes never left my body.

"I…umm…oh yeah…" Bart stuttered. "They're on highway 154 headed west toward the Kansas border."

"OK. How long before you can get the black kryptonite?" I asked.

"I'm on my way right now." Oliver said. I nodded, tucking the blue crystal in my bra for safekeeping. Oliver whacked Bart upside the head for openly gawking at my breasts. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Ok. I'm going after Davis. You meet up with me once you've got the rock. Alice?" I said. She threw a set of keys at me and I caught them in the air by my face. "Let's rock and roll boys and girls." I grinned stepping outside as Jasper turned my 2010 Bugatti Motorcycle Circuit Edition over to me. It had custom pink paint with flames that turned into music notes at the tips. I climbed on, blew a kiss at Oliver and sped off at 185 mph. I chuckled when I heard Oliver mumble the words "sweet jeezus" and Alice told him he had no idea the ride he was in for with me. Boy was that the truth.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**Short chapter I know! Thanks to everyone who has favorited my story! It gives me warm fuzzies! Please review! I'd love to hear from everyone!**


	15. Return to Me

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and/or plots belong to their respective owners. Everything else is me playing around.**

**CHAPTER 15: RETURN TO ME**

I sped down the highway, adrenaline kicked into high gear. I knew I had almost caught up to Davis and Chloe, thanks to constant contact with Bart. My cell rand and I answered it.

"I got the rock. I'm coming for you." Oliver said. I could barely hear him over my motorcycle and the roaring engine of his Aston Martin.

"Ok. I'm almost to them. It won't be long." I replied.

"Be careful, do you hear me?" He demanded.

"I will. Just promise me something?" I asked.

"Anything."

"Don't try and be the hero today. No matter what happens….I need you alive." I pleaded. I'd never survive if I lost him too.

"You're coming home with me, safe and sound tonight. That's what I promise." He assured me.

"Love you Oliver. I'm here." The words slipped off my tongue before I had time to think.

"I love you too." He breathed. "See you soon." The engine roared and the line disconnected. By now I had crept up on Chloe's little blue Honda Accord and decided to pull up alongside it. Luckily, I noted that Davis was in human form, but Chloe had a look of sheer terror on her face. I motioned for him to pull over, but of course he didn't. I could hear Chloe pleading and protesting for him to do as I said, but he wouldn't listen.

"So I guess you wanna do this the hard way…." I growled. I pressed on the accelerator, speeding at least a half a mile ahead of them and spun the bike on its nose, to face the oncoming car. I pressed the tiny pink button on the handlebar, opening a secret compartment containing a handgun. I took it in my hands, calmly and precisely aimed….and waited. Chloe realized I had a gun and began screaming. I chuckled quietly, realizing she must think I was going to shoot at her. Yeah right. As soon as the car was in range, I pulled the trigger twice, blowing out both of the front two tires, causing the car to come to a startling halt. I jumped off the bike and immediately ran to the car, yanked the passenger door off with brut vampire strength and pulled Chloe from her seat.

"Thank you…" She whispered. "He put Clark in the Phantom Zone."

"I know." I said softly. I heard Davis emerging from the wreckage.

"Help….me…." He pleaded. For a moment, I actually felt sorry for the guy, but part of me couldn't help but wonder if even he, apart from Doomsday, was destined to be a bad seed. Clark would disagree with me, he always saw the good in others. I used to be that way, but my opinions of humanity quickly changed after being subjected to so much ugliness in this world. But for today, I would do it Clark's way.

"I'm going to help you Davis. I promise. I just need you to stay calm." I explained.

"I…need……Chloe…" He was struggling to keep his voice calm.

"I'm really sorry. This is as close as you get." I stepped between them. "I know you don't want to accidentally hurt her."

"I WON'T HURT HER!!" He snarled ferociously.

"Chloe….step….back…." I said cautiously. She did as I asked.

"It doesn't matter now. Clark's gone. What do you care?!" Davis hissed.

"Ahh….but I'll get Clark back. You severely underestimate me." I retorted.

"CLARK MUST DIE!" He snarled again, just before morphing into his demonic other half. Before I had a chance to move, Doomsday sunk his teeth into my shoulder, ripping off a hunk of flesh in the process. I cried out in agony…..and shock. _I was the goddamned vampire and that fucking ugly mug just bit the shit outta me!! HELL NO!! _I leapt up and Doomsday tried to grab me by the throat, but I threw my shield up just in time. I could see Oliver in the distance so I held on with all I had. I was feeling lightheaded and for the first time since my change, I felt ice cold, even to myself. My skin ignited on fire and began tingling just below the surface, feeling as though my entire body was falling asleep. The prickling sensation was growing far more annoying by the second, and painful. Doomsday crashed into my shield once more, and just as I felt it give way, and arrow penetrated Doomsday's chest. I looked to Oliver and realized he had tipped the spear with the black kryptonite. Fucking genius. Oliver was making his way to us as we stood watching the rock go to work, creating two separate entities. Davis's body fell limp on the ground while the monster stood about ten feet away. A sharp pain in my chest caused me to double over. I attempted to catch my breath but the pain radiating through my torso was excruciating.

"Bella! Are you alright?!" Oliver grabbed me, holding my tiny frame to his. "You're bleeding!" _WHAT?! Bleeding?!_ I glanced at my shoulder.

"Doomsday bit me….I'm not sure what's going on but….AHHH!!" I cried out. "It fucking hurts everywhere!"

"C'mon….let's get you to Carlisle…." He said attempting to pick me up.

"No." I protested, yanking the blue crystal out of my shirt. "I have to get Clark." I placed the crystal in Oliver's hand and held his hand in my own, up to the sun. What looked like a black hole appeared in the sky. "Don't let go of this crystal until I get back. Be careful. I won't be long."

"BELLA!!" I heard him yell as I used every ounce of strength I had to charge at Doomsday, knocking him into the Phantom Zone. I knew I only had seconds to find Clark and get out, otherwise I risked letting out more phantoms. I surveyed the area and there was nothing but rocky, desert wasteland and blistering winds. The pain radiating through my limbs was becoming unbearable and I was weakening by the second. Strangely, it reminded me of my human days. I clutched at my chest and moved quickly, scouting for Clark. That's when I noticed him, laying lifeless and bloody in the sand. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, but I felt sluggish and weighted down. I snatched Clark's body in my arms, heaving him up with far more effort than should have been necessary and ran like hell for the opening. I felt a tug on my hair and I fell backwards, dropping Clark's body to the ground with a thud.

"Oh….fuck this…." I hissed, looking Doomsday straight in the eyes. "You've messed with me for the last goddamned time!" I punched the creature square in the jaw and then kicked it right in the gut, finally knocking it down. I grabbed Clark once more and darted out of the opening, screaming for them to close the portal. I felt Clark and I slam into the concrete and Oliver and Chloe were to us in a heartbeat. Oliver scooped me up into his arms and I breathed a sigh of relief. The sun was already visibly healing Clark's wounds.

"God Clark!! Please forgive me! I only went with him to protect you. He said if I went with him you'd be safe and-" Chloe cried. Clark smiled his most forgiving smile and crushed her into one of his famous hugs.

"It's okay Chloe." Clark whispered. Oliver gently cupped my face and stared into my eyes as if searching to see if I was okay. I felt an odd sensation of being watched from somewhere in the distance. I glanced around, but my senses were obviously messed up and shrugged it off when I didn't see anything.

"I'm fine." I smiled tenderly at Oliver, even though I was lying through my teeth. "Just a little sore." The truth of the matter was, I felt like I was dying, or living through my change in reverse or some crazy shit like that. I felt swollen, even though I wasn't sure if you could physically see it. There was an ache so deep in my bones that it felt as though they were all breaking at once. I prayed that Carlisle would know what to do, if I could survive that long. At this point I wasn't sure, even with my high pain tolerance.

"It's not getting any easier…" He whispered. I looked at him quizzically. "Watching you put yourself in danger…"

"I'll be just fine." I brushed my fingers through his hair and forced a smile. "I promise."

"It was different when it was just me risking my life….but now I'm afraid. More afraid than I've ever been in my life." A tear rolled down Oliver's cheek and I gently wiped it away. My heart melted, and it was then I realized I had tears running down my own cheeks. _What. The. Fuck. Something is seriously wrong with me! _My nerves were going rampant. I was pulled from my thoughts when out of the corner of my eye, Davis stood up and stalked toward us.

"OLIVER LOOK OUT!!!" I screamed. Oliver turned around just in time to dodge a fist.

"Chloe was MINE! If you hadn't shot me with that damned arrow, I could have had her forever!!" Davis growled, coming at Oliver again. Oliver looked incredibly graceful, blocking his attacks, and landing a few good hits in return. In an instant, Davis pulled out a knife with a huge serrated edge. I didn't even think before launching myself at human pace in front of the knife to save Oliver. Clark had the same idea, but I was physically closer and I beat him to it. I felt the searing pain as the knife made its way into my side. Ordinarily it wouldn't have broken the skin. In a blur, Chloe grabbed my gun and shot Davis in the back. He fell to the ground, covered in blood. I finally found my voice and screamed out in agony and it was then that I felt my body being lifted at lightning speed and with unimaginable grace. I figured it must be Clark removing me from harms way, because he was the only one there that could move that fast. I could feel the blood oozing out of my side like a river and I was slipping in and out of consciousness. That's when I heard it. The liquid velvet voice that I had been aching for, yearning for, willing to die for.

"Princess…..Bella….my love…come back to me…." I slowly opened my eyes and realized I must have died and gone to heaven.

"Edward…." I sighed contentedly, slipping away into my peaceful, surreal world where my Edward truly did exist and I could live happily ever after.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**CLIFFIE!!! Woo-hoo!!! Review and I'll get the next chapter up quicker :) Sooo….do you think she imagined it? Or could he really be back from the dead? Hmm….let's find out!**


	16. The Vision

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners. Everything else is me playing around.**

**CHAPTER 16: THE VISION**

**APOV**

Bella and Oliver had just left to go after Doomsday. The family had pondered getting involved, but the cloud cover was less than ideal today and thanks to my gift of foresight, everything was due to go off without a hitch. Bella would successfully put Doomsday in the Phantom….whatever she called it, save Clark, and get her happily ever after with Mr. Green Guy himself. I had truly been thankful when Oliver came along. I knew Bella was fighting her feelings, and I didn't blame her one bit. She and my brother had been soul mates. Closer than any couple I had ever encountered in my very long life. Only death could…..and had, separated them. I was finally seeing that spark back in her eyes that my sister…aka BFF had been missing for so long. Don't get me wrong, nobody would ever replace my brother, but it was nice to see her have some sort of companionship.

I headed into the living room of the tiny Kent farmhouse. Emmett and Jasper were busy playing the Xbox 360 and Rose was flipping through a magazine, sitting in the navy blue rocker recliner.

"Hey Rose, you wanna check out some of my latest designs?" I knew she'd say yes, but hey, it's polite to ask. She nodded eagerly, ready to get away from the boys and their toys. I grabbed my laptop and we made our way to the kitchen counter. Esme and Carlisle were sitting at the table reading the Daily Planet, discussing how good of a columnist Lois Lane was. A few minutes into showing Rose my newest dress ideas, I was blind sided by a vision that was about to be named the biggest curve ball in history.

_Bella riding up to a car. Bella being bitten by Doomsday. Bella in pain. Bella changing back to a…..human?! Clark and Bella safe from the Phantom Zone. Oliver and Davis fighting. A knife. Bella jumping in front of the knife. Blood. Blood everywhere. Edward. Edward……Edward cradling Bella. Bella dying…..Edward._

"OH MY GOD!!!" I screamed. I didn't know what to say first. There wasn't anytime, I'd have to explain on the way. "It can't be…."

"Alice?! What is it?!" Carlisle was now standing at my side.

"Bella's dying! And…..Edward!!" I sobbed. "Edward's alive! We have to go now!!" Jasper and Emmett were in the kitchen instantly. Everyone was looking at me like I had two heads.

"You're sure Alice?" Carlisle questioned.

"100% positive! He's alive but SHE won't be if we don't hurry up!" I demanded. That's all it took for the Cullen family to run for the door.

* * *

The whole way there I was sobbing relentlessly. What had I done to Bella? I had pushed her into Oliver's arms, and now that Edward was back….thank God my brother was back, I thought clutching my dead heart. Would she leave Smallville and come back home with us? Was it possible we could be a family again? Edward would be devastated once he learned of her and Oliver's relationship. I just prayed to God that he wouldn't be completely irrational and angst-ridden like always. And furthermore, why in the hell hadn't I been able to see him? All this time and nothing. The Volturi must have done something to keep me from seeing. It was the only logical explanation, and I was absolutely fucking furious about it.

As we neared the scene, Bella's blood was thick in the air and I motioned for Jasper to back off a bit. He was still struggling to resist human blood and we didn't need anymore added chaos. Carlisle advanced forward quickly, coming up on Edward, who was cradling Bella's bleeding frame.

"Edward…." Carlisle whispered softly. "Son, I need to see Bella…." Edward was over her now in a traditional protective crouch. It had been a long time since he had seen any of us, and rational thought would be difficult for him. Instincts always win out. Oliver approached and Edward let a low rumbling growl escape his chest. Oliver stopped in his tracks and Clark pulled him back forcefully. I moved between Oliver and Edward, because I didn't need a vision to know that Edward would rip Oliver to shreds if he went anywhere near "his Bella".

"Edward…..big brother…" I whispered soothingly. "God we've missed you….." He nodded slowly, obviously mourning Bella's rapidly diminishing body. He looked tired, and weak and I desperately wanted to run to him and hold him and tell him it would all be okay. "Edward please…..look at my visions……Bella will die if you don't let Carlisle look at her…" After what felt like an eternity, he finally, slowly handed her to Carlisle and our father immediately went to work assessing her injuries. I inched my way to him and finally wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tight. Once Esme saw it was okay, she did the same. We hugged him for dear life, sobs escaping everyone.

"What's happening to her?!" Oliver shouted in pure frustration. Clark hushed him, and I couldn't help but notice the glare exchanged between Edward and Oliver.

"Alice, am I correct that you thought she was human again?" Carlisle asked. I nodded. Edward immediately turned and moved back to Bella's side. "I can't explain it, but she had to have been given some type of cure for vampirism, but it appears she was stabbed after the fact and now she's dying. I can't medically save her." Carlisle said softly. "Edward….you have a very difficult choice to make son…."

* * *

**EPOV**

I had stayed in the shadows, away from my love all morning. She was even more beautiful that I could have remembered, and it had taken everything I had in me to keep from running to her and pulling her hard against me, promising to show her how much I loved her for all of eternity. But I had kept from doing so after seeing her with the man she called Oliver. It pained me to watch the intimate interactions between them, but I realized she had tried to go on after the Volturi had faked my death, just like I would have wanted her to. My heart sank listening to his thoughts. Oh how I wished I could hear what my Bella was thinking. Did she love this man back? I decided that I would stay on the sidelines until the time was right, if and when that time ever came. I wasn't sure what the Volturi's reasoning for letting me go was, and I certainly wasn't going to contest it, but their timing was unfortunate. If I had been a little sooner, maybe I would have made it back to my Bella before she found this….Oliver character. I bit back a growl at the thought of him touching her.

I watched as she risked her life to save her friends, always so selfless. I saw the knife and I instinctively reacted, running towards her, even though I knew she should be able to withstand a knife, but I knew something was terribly wrong when the scent of her blood hit me like a tidal wave. After being without my Bella for so long, the smell was fresh, but it no longer called to my inner demon. I loved her with every ounce of my being and the smell of her blood in the air only frightened me. I propelled myself faster, scooping her tiny body up into my arms and moved her from the danger. I gripped her tightly and she whimpered, causing me to immediately check my strength. She was no longer unbreakable Bella, she was the warm, tender human Bella that I had daydreamed about for the past year and a half.

"Princess…..Bella…my love…come back to me…." I pleaded. She opened her beautiful brown doe eyes and started at me briefly.

"Edward….." She smiled before drifting off into unconsciousness again. My name on her lips, her gorgeous smile, it set off my primal urge to claim and protect. I vaguely recall my family approaching me and I could hear Clark attempting to calm Oliver. Everything was kind of a blur until my father spoke those dreaded words.

"Edward….you have a very difficult choice to make son…." Carlisle said softly to me. It was the worst feeling of déjà vu. I was taken back to before, when James attacked and bit her, and I had to suck the venom out, unwilling to damn her soul to an eternity like mine. She had been furious. Quite the little spitfire my Bella was. Sadly, she had been turned anyway by the venom of the Volturi Guard, instead of my own, which had been her only request and I had failed her. Now, Carlisle was saying she had been turned back human, and Alice was showing me visions of Bella dying in my arms today, this instant, if I didn't change her back. I had no idea what Bella would want now. Did she want to die? Would she come back to me or would she run into the arms of this ….Oliver? Whom I might add, his thoughts were truly making me want to rip him limb from limb. Mine. She was my Bella.

"Edward…she's dying. You have to bite her now if you're going to do it." Alice said softly. "Please Edward. Don't let her die…."

"NO!! Get the fuck away from her!!" Oliver fought against Clark. "I'll take her to a hospital where she'll have the best damned treatment! Then she can live a normal fucking human life!!" I couldn't help the snarl that escaped my lips. "Don't you fucking touch her…." Oliver glared directly into my eyes. He didn't look the slightest bit afraid, which was a little shocking to be quite honest.

"Oliver, trust me, she will die long before you can get her help…" Carlisle protested. That's when I heard it.

"Edward…..Edward I'm scared…." Bella's beautiful, frightened voice rang out. "Don't leave me…." I couldn't help but look to Oliver who looked defeated. His thoughts now were of nothing but love and adoration. He loved her. Truly loved her. I decided I owed Bella the choice. She could pick between Oliver and me. I would turn her, against my better judgment, but part of me knew that I couldn't live in a world where she didn't exist, and I was being selfish. Seeing her for this brief moment had been a tease, after going so long, starving of her. My body begged for her touch, for her laughter to ring in my ears, for her affections. I longed for her with every fiber of my being. She was it for me, and here she was, right before my eyes, frightened and pleading for me. I finally looked at Clark, silently asking for her best friends' permission.

"Save her Edward." Clark whispered. At that, I turned to Carlisle.

"I'm stronger now, but don't…….don't let me kill her….." I pleaded to my father.

"Bella trusts you. That's all that matters." Carlisle promised me in his thoughts that he would intervene if necessary.

"Edward…." Bella whimpered. I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead and she visibly calmed. I gloated inwardly that I still had that kind of affect on her.

"Shhh….my sweet, beautiful Bella. I'm going to make it better….this is going to hurt Princess…." I whispered softly into her ear.

"Don't leave……don't leave me…." She begged.

"I won't leave you. Ever." I promised as my teeth sunk into the soft flesh of her neck. She cried out, only for a moment before reaching for my shirt, pulling me into her, almost as though she was seeking out my touch. Her blood was the sweetest, most delicious taste and it took all of my willpower to pull back, especially with her clinging to me for dear life. I looked up to Carlisle and he nodded a job well done. I could hardly agree. I was now killing the love of my existence for the second time in her life. I knew how painful the fire felt, and the thought of enduring it more than once was unthinkable. I kept telling myself that Bella was strong, and that she loved me. That was hard to remember with Oliver across the way practically shouting at me in his mind that she loved him too, and he would fight for her. I glanced down at my grandmother's ring she still wore on her hand. That had to mean something. After all, it was me she kept asking for. I knew I would do whatever my love wanted, even if that meant waiting on the sidelines. It would nearly kill me, but I would suffer the pain if it meant that she was happy.

"Let's get her home. The fever will be setting in soon." Carlisle instructed.

"Clark, am I welcome in your home?" I asked politely, very aware through everyone's thoughts that he and Oliver were close friends.

"Absolutely. Bella loves you and that's all that matters to me." Clark nodded. Oliver was staring at him incredulously. I didn't have time to worry with him right now. Bella would surely be in excruciating pain for the next three days and all that mattered to me was making her as comfortable as possible. I cradled her in my arms, how perfectly she fit there, and took off running to the Kent farm. Everyone met us there several minutes later, because I was faster than the rest. I had her stripped down to a tank top and flannel shorts to help with some of the heat that was now exuding from her tiny body. Never did she cry out, and her strength was never lost on me. I gently climbed into the bed next to her and held her body close, hoping that my ice cold limbs would feel similar to ice packs and sooth the burning in her veins. About thirty minutes passed by and the door opened. I mentally tried to prepare myself for what was coming, but one thing was certain. Oliver may love her, but it wasn't even one millionth of the amount of love and devotion I had for my Bella.

"We need to talk." Oliver said firmly.

"Let's get this over with."

**Chapter End Notes:**

**OMG!! So Edward's back!! Now what?! Please review and tell me what you think!!**


	17. The Talk

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and/or plot belong to their respective owners. The rest is me having fun :)**

**CHAPTER 17: THE TALK**

**OPOV**

"I'm guessing this talk could take awhile." Edward said flatly, nodding his head to the chair in the corner of the room. I moved to sit down, never taking my eyes off of Bella.

"I love her." I said bluntly, holding back the rage I felt watching him lay next to her, touching her.

"As do I. It seems as though I have a bit of advantage, being her husband and all." _Asshole_.

"Well, she loves me too. She may not admit it just yet, but she was finally starting to heal….and _now_ you decide to show up." I accused, knowing this wasn't the case. He had just been released and I knew it.

"For the record, I didn't just _decide_ to show up. I was just released from a torture chamber you'd never _dream_ of surviving. So pardon me for not being on _your_ schedule Mr. Queen." He said curtly.

"She thought you were dead. She has nightmares every time she sleeps and she screams for you. But in the light of day, it's _me_ that makes her happy. _I_ make her smile and _I _helped put her back together. Hell…..I even had _your_ family's blessing!" I spat. I knew I was being vindictive, but I wouldn't give her up. She loved me and I would do whatever I could to keep her.

"I am beyond grateful that she had you in my absence." Edward said sincerely, making me cringe that he would take the high road. "Truly I am. She means more to me than anything in this universe. I would do anything for her."

"Would you die for her?" I asked coldly. Bella would hate me if she knew what I was about to do, but I had no choice. He looked at me, confusion on his face. "I mean…._really_ die for her? Because I received some startling information this morning at the Luthor Mansion." _Ahh….now I have your attention_ _Mr. Cullen_.

"Don't speak. Let me read your mind. It will be more private that way." He said sitting up slightly. Bella whimpered at the loss of contact nearly gagging me. I watched as he pulled her back close and she settled immediately. I hoped if she ever discovered what happened here today that she would forgive me. She had to.

Edward concentrated hard on me and I began showing and explaining my findings. The Justice League had managed to track Lex Luthor to Volterra, Italy and he and Aro had become business partners. Lex somehow came up with a cure for vampirism, which Aro was desperate to keep under lock and key. Lex learned of the Cullen secret through Aro and the negotiating commenced. They devised a plan to both of their advantages. Aro would capture Bella, Clark's best friend and drag her to Volterra. Aro knew Edward would come after her and he didn't disappoint. Aro wanted Edward to join the Volturi Guard and that was all part of the master plan. They faked Edward's death, banking on the fact that Bella would seek refuge in Smallville. When the timing was right, they released Edward, knowing the first person he would seek was Bella. As of the present, the current plan was to capture Edward and Clark both, and force Bella to choose between Edward's death, and giving up all information she had on Clark. Lex and Aro anticipated that her feelings for Edward would be raw, since she would have recently gained him back from the dead. They figured she would choose to give up Clark's information so that Edward would live. The problem was, they hadn't foreseen her feelings for me. No matter what, Aro would acquire the cure and Edward as part of his guard, and Lex would have Clark, and Bella would become his own personal puppet. Edward took a deep breath.

"Ultimately what you are asking is that I sacrifice myself to protect Bella and Clark, and let her live out the rest of her life with you." He stated slowly, digesting the information.

"Everything I showed you is true. I swear." I reassured him, hoping he would see the right choice. After several excruciatingly long minutes, he finally spoke.

"I will end this…..for Bella. All I ask is that I stay with her through the duration of her change, to make sure she's okay. She must never know I was here." He requested, trying to conceal the grief that was written all over his face. _Best idea ever_. I nodded in silent agreement. "And one more thing…..don't you EVER hurt her. Ever. I will leave strict orders with my brothers to obliterate you if you do." His glare was murderous.

"Understood. I'll make her happy. You have my word." I chanced moving to Bella's side and leaned in, kissing her on the cheek. I swore he growled at me so I exited the room quickly. I was met at the door by a very pissed off Alice. I ignored her stare and made my way outside. Bella would be mine. Everything could go back to the way it was and we could be happy……as long as she never found out the truth.

**EPOV**

I bit back the growl threatening to erupt from my chest. I wanted to rip his lips off where he stood. Kissing MY Bella! Well, I guess she wouldn't be my Bella for long with what I had planned. Oliver had exited the room only to be replaced by Alice. I knew I was in trouble. My little sister was relentless, and from the look on her face, nothing had changed in my absence.

"What do you think you're doing Edward?!" She had her hands on her hips, tapping her foot on the floor, annoyed. "Going back to the Volturi won't change anything. They'll know you're lying….and by the way, Bella will be PISSED!" Alice fumed.

"No she won't, because she must never know. I'm doing this to protect her." I argued. "Once again, my presence in her life has put her back in harms way."

"The only damned person who keeps ripping her poor heart out is YOU dear brother!" She shouted. I winced at the truth of her words.

"She will heal in time. Oliver will take care of her." I said slowly, hating each word as it slipped off my tongue. Alice threw her hands up in the air in frustration and finally sat down in the chair Oliver had previously occupied.

"Look…..I know I pushed Bella to him. We all did, and he's great. But nobody completes Bella but you Edward. She'll never get over you…..and I never would have pressed her had I know you were alive." Alice said softer now, almost pleading. "Speaking of which, I can't figure out why I couldn't see you…."

"They used some form of werewolf DNA to create a serum that they injected me with daily." I cringed, remembering the fights I had given them at first, but soon became too weak. I knew the kinds of torture I had endured, and I nearly died thinking about what they did to my innocent Bella.

"Yuck!" Alice wrinkled up her nose. "It must have been awful. You look better than Bella though when we found her. They put her through hell. She screams every night, reliving your death. She cries out for you and begs to die…." As if she couldn't twist the knife in my heart any farther. "She's trying to fill the void in her heart with Oliver, and she's failing miserably."

"Alice…."

"Edward….I won't lie for you. Not this time." She challenged.

"Alice you have to. If not, they'll kill her, or worse….torture her. Please, I'm begging you." I pleaded.

"Your plan to tell them Bella doesn't want you, that she wants Oliver, it fails Edward. Epically. I've seen it. They won't kill you. Your ability is far too precious to them." I pondered that. Alice was always right. I would have to think of another way. "NO Edward!! NO way! You are NOT doing that!"

"Apparently it works."

"Edward! You can't kill a human in public! Think of Carlisle! And BELLA for Christ sake!" Alice hissed wildly. That was the new plan. I would find some sleazy criminal and drain them dry in the plaza. Aro, Marcus and Cauis would have no choice but to end my life. Then Bella wouldn't have to choose between Clark and I, and she would be safe. It was a done deal. Nothing could change my mind.

"Well, I'm standing my ground. I won't hide the truth from her." Alice said firmly.

"Fine. Just give me a week. If she hasn't figured it out by then, you can tell her, but you must know, it will only hurt her more when I'm gone for real."

"Edward….I love you, but you are the biggest idiot I have ever met." Alice growled, storming out of the room.

I breathed deeply, thinking over my decision. It was the right one, no matter how much I hated it. I had to protect Bella at all costs. I didn't leave her side for the duration of her change. I wanted to scream, listening to her heart slow until it beat, again, for the last time. She called out my name several times, still pleading for me not to leave her, breaking my dead heart a little more each time. She had subconsciously gripped my hand and held it the entire time. Her features began hardening, transforming back into her hybrid form. Alice had poked her head back in, alerting me that I only had an hour left with my love. I kissed her forehead softly, taking time to carefully re-memorize her beautiful face. I whispered in her ear how much I would always love her and that someday we would be reunited. I had never believed that vampires could go to heaven, but I chose to believe it now, for that was the only way I would ever see her again. I finished my goodbye, dragged myself away from her resting form and headed for the door. I heard a faint whisper.

"Edward….I love you too….." I relished in the fact that she did still love me and I was right in leaving. I smiled sadly and exited the room. Of course I was bombarded by my entire family. Each one trying desperately to talk me out of my plans. I simply hugged each of them and told them I loved them, before slipping out the door, heading back to Italy to my certain death. I'd see to it this time.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**AHHHHH!!!!! *Sniff Sniff* Angsty Edward and selfish Oliver!! Sheesh!! Poor Bella!! What next?!?! Review Review Review!**


	18. Sorry

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Smallville. I'm only playing with the characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

Chapter 18: Gone

I sat up, immediately taking in my surroundings. The farm. The Kent Farm. I was in my bed. Pain. I had been in excruciating pain. Fire. Intense burning. Cold. Soothing coolness. Edward. I tried desperately to remember the events before the fire but came up with nothing. I inhaled deeply, blanketing myself with the most glorious scent of honey and…..Edward. I leapt up from the bed, literally sniffing around the room, realizing that I wasn't crazy. Edward had been here with me, I'd never forget his scent. It was engraved in my soul. I darted out of the bedroom and made my way to the kitchen, fully expecting him to be there. I scanned the room quickly, but everyone was there. Except him. I didn't understand. His smell was distinct in here as well.

"Where is he?" I questioned. Everyone glanced at each other, seemingly nervous.

"Where is who, dear?" Esme questioned. _Seriously, why would they keep him from me? _I was getting upset.

"Edward." I said flatly. "Where is he?"

"How are you feeling child? You had quite a day yesterday." Carlisle asked.

"I feel strong. Stronger than ever actually. Seriously, why is everyone looking at me like that?" I snapped.

"Please excuse me." Alice said, abruptly exiting the room.

"Will somebody please explain what in the fuck is going on? Where is he? Why won't you tell me? Does he not want me anymore?" My lips quivered nervously at that thought. _Had he heard about Oliver and I, and that's why he left me? Oh God._ I felt a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach and it felt like the air had been squeezed from my chest. I had him back and I lost him. He was gone. Again. I sunk to my knees in the floor, my head falling in my hands. I felt arms wrap around my shoulders and I looked up briefly to find Oliver. I shrugged away from him, aware that I was hurting his feelings, but sadly could not bring myself to care.

"Bella…" Oliver tried again.

"Please ….don't touch me. Just….please…." I stood up to face everyone. "I know you are all acting like I'm crazy….but I'm not. He was here. I could feel his presence from miles away, you all _know_ that. I'm guessing he told you all to lie to me…." Nobody could seem to make eye contact. Jasper excused himself to go check on Alice. I looked pleadingly at Emmett.

"Bells…" He sighed.

"Emmett please….please….." I begged, but he couldn't bring himself to speak the words. I looked back and forth at Clark and Oliver. "It doesn't matter. I will find him." I glared before storming out the door and into the pouring down rain. I ran for miles, crying out for Edward, praying that he would miraculously appear, but no such luck. I ran right smack into Jacob Black's arms. At first I was startled and ready to fight, but he gazed softly into my eyes and I caved into his chest. Once upon a time, I had felt safe there.

"Sshh….it's okay Bells. Did he leave you again?" Jake asked softly, rubbing circles against my back.

"Who?" I asked, sobbing quietly.

"Your blood sucker…..I mean, Edward." He corrected, trying to be as polite as Jacob-ly possible.

"Wait….how do you know he was here?" I looked up, curiosity rising in my chest.

"Umm…I'd never forget his disgusting scent…it's all over you. Even in the rain." He wrinkled his nose.

"I'm not crazy…." I whispered. "He really was here…"

"Actually….I thought I saw him the other night but I wasn't sure, seeing as how he was supposed to be dead and all." Jake hugged me tighter, and I ignored his wet dog smell.

"Tell me he looked okay Jake. I need him to be alright."

"He looked exactly like he always did. Weird." Jake teased and I playfully smacked at his chest.

"I need to find out what's going on. Everyone is keeping something from me and I have no idea what it is. I need to find him." I said attempting to pull myself and thoughts together.

"What about Oliver?" Jake asked in a friendly tone that I greatly appreciated.

"Jake….sadly, you of all people knows that no one comes between Edward and I. If that were the case, I would be with you and Oliver wouldn't even be in the picture." I said softly. Jake nodded in understanding.

"If it helps, tell him that the way I deal, is that I know you're alive and I feel lucky to have you in my life at all." Jake lightly kissed my forehead and I hugged him tight.

"Thanks Jake."

"Your still a heartbreaker Bells." He teased. "Now, go and find your leech before he screws up again." I frowned playfully and took off running back to the house, prepared to demand answers. Someone would cave. I was sure of it.

"Bella! Thank God! Don't scare me like that again!" Clark practically tackled me to give me hug.

"Sorry. I'm alright….but now that I'm 100% sure I'm not crazy…..ONE of you had better start talking." I said forcefully, looking directly at Carlisle and Esme. I knew those two would be least likely to keep up the façade. "Look…I don't know what or why Edward told you to lie, and I know that he has been in this family for a hundred years, but damn it….I'm Bella CULLEN. I'm a CULLEN too, and Edward doesn't always get to make the decisions for the both of us!" I realized I was shouting.

"You're right." Alice said standing in the kitchen doorway. I turned to her and she looked like she would cry if she could.

"Alice?" I questioned.

"I swore after he left you the first time and asked us to lie that I would never do that to you again. I watched how much you were hurting and I love you Bella Cullen. I will tell you whatever you want to know." She said softly, as though she thought I was mad at her.

"Thank you." I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. I reached out and took my sister-in-laws hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Alice….this isn't what Edward and I agreed on!" Oliver stepped forward.

"Ohhhhh shit….." Emmett mumbled under his breath. "Not cool bro…."

"WHAT?" My head whipped around to Oliver. "What. Did. You. Do?" Oliver looked dumbfounded, like he hadn't expected me to turn on him.

"Bella…it's not what you think…" He tried to reach for me but I pulled away.

"Well enlighten me Oliver…..seeing as how it seems I'm the only one in this room that didn't see him…." I practically growled.

"It was better this way….we did it to protect you." Oliver said, trying to explain. I was seeing red. Every time someone tried to 'protect me', my heart always got broken.

"Where is he? " I demanded. It was silent. "WHERE. IS. HE?"

"On his way back to Volterra." Carlisle spoke up finally.

"WHAT?" I shouted. "I have to go."

"Wait." Oliver stepped in front of me. "He went because I got some information the other day-" I held my palm out to silence him and looked to Alice.

"Can you show me Alice?"

"I'm not sure if it will work. I've only been able to share my visions with Edward, but I'm willing to try." She nodded, slowly taking my hand. Alice slipped quietly into one of her trances, allowing me to view the images just as she had seen them. At first it was overwhelming to see it through someone else's eyes and I wondered how it was even possible, but I didn't have time to question it. It was working. She allowed me to view pretty much the entire conversation that took place between Edward and Oliver. I couldn't shake the image of me laying there in his arms, completely unaware. I had him in my grasp and I had lost him again. I understood where Oliver was coming from and I really felt like a cruel monster, but he just had to understand. Nobody replaces Edward. Not ever. I was fooling myself, pretending that Oliver would ever be enough, and now I would hurt him. Just like I knew I would.

"So you sent him to die…." I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"It's not like that. It was either you or him. We agreed on him. I love you Bella, and I will spend forever proving it if-" Oliver pleaded, moving toward me.

"Oliver stop."

"Bella please just—"

"STOP!" I all but yelled. "This is all my fault. You and I, it just can't happen. For one, I won't age. You will grow old and eventually I will look like your granddaughter. I care so much about you, and had a lot of fun, but you'll never be my Edward. I know that sounds awful and I'm a terrible person for it, but just ask Jacob." I placed my hands firmly on his shoulders to stop his advance.

"Fine. We can get the antidote from Lex. We'll change you back and we can have a normal human life together. I'll give up Green Arrow and—"

"Oliver…please stop. Please. Being a vampire is the life I choose. It's where I belong. Please understand that." I lightly kissed his cheek. "I have to go. I'm more sorry than you'll ever know." I turned to face my family, but not before witnessing the shattered expression on Oliver's face.

"Rose has our flight booked." Emmett said clapping his hands together.

"Our?" I questioned.

"You didn't think you were going alone again did ya darlin'?" Jasper grinned.

"I guess not. Let's go get my husband."

**Chapter End Notes:**

**I know it's sad that Bella left Oliver like that, but she's not terrible. She never hid her feelings about Edward, and she never truly meant to hurt Oliver.**


End file.
